Catalan independence
Sacked leader Puigdemont not seeking asylum
BBC
Catalonias sacked President Carles Puigdemont says he has not travelled to Belgium to seek asylum, reports BBC. He has appeared in public in Brussels with several colleagues after declaring independence from Spain last week. Spains central government has taken direct control of Catalonia and sacked officials, following the regions banned independence referendum.
Puigdemont said he was not trying to escape justice but wanted to be able to speak freely. He was speaking at a press conference as Spains constitutional court suspended the declaration of independence made by the Catalan leader on Friday.
Puigdemont also said he would accept the result of snap Catalonia elections on 21 December, which were called by Spains central government after it invoked Article 155 of the constitution, temporarily suspending the regions autonomy.
The move will see as many as 150 of the regions top officials replaced.
I want a clear commitment from the state. Will the state respect the results that could give separatist forces a majority? Mr Puigdemont asked reporters.
The Spanish government has previously said he was welcome to take part in the fresh polls.
The ousted Catalan leader did not clarify how long he would stay in Belgium, but said he would return once he was given guarantees by the Spanish government.
He said moves by the Spanish chief prosecutor to charge him and a number of other cabinet members with offences that carry up to 30 years in prison showed the extent of the central authorities aggression.
Earlier comments from a lawyer hired by Mr Puigdemont in Brussels had fuelled speculation that he was investigating asylum processes there.
When asked on Flemish public radio whether he was seeking asylum, Paul Bekaert said: Were keeping all options open - nothing has been decided. Spanish Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis has expressed scepticism about an asylum bid.
It would be surprising if he were granted asylum in the current circumstances, he told Spanish radio. He emphasised that Mr Puigdemont had yet to be charged and was therefore still free to move around.
But he added: We believe that among EU member states, there is a level of reciprocal trust over the fact that we are states governed by the rule of law.
Five of Mr Puigdemonts sacked ministers have joined him in Belgium:
In a separate development on Tuesday, Spains Guardia Civil - a paramilitary force charged with police duties - raided the offices of the Catalan police force. According to media reports, they searched eight offices for
communications relating to the referendum on 1 October.
The Catalan police force, the Mossos dEsquadra, has already been accused of failing to help Guardia Civil officers tackle thousands of pro-independence protesters during the run up to the banned vote.
The crisis began when the Catalan government held an independence referendum, despite a Constitutional Court ruling declaring it illegal.
The Catalan authorities said that of the 43% of potential voters who took part, 90% were in favour of independence. Others boycotted the vote after the court ruling.
