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| Ex-Leader of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, Isn’t Seeking Asylum in Belgium | Ex-Leader of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, Isn’t Seeking Asylum in Belgium |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| BARCELONA, Spain — The former leader of Catalonia said on Tuesday that he had traveled to Brussels to put Spain’s territorial conflict “in the institutional heart of Europe” and to guarantee a fair trial for separatist leaders who declared the region’s independence, but he said that they were not seeking asylum. | BARCELONA, Spain — The former leader of Catalonia said on Tuesday that he had traveled to Brussels to put Spain’s territorial conflict “in the institutional heart of Europe” and to guarantee a fair trial for separatist leaders who declared the region’s independence, but he said that they were not seeking asylum. |
| “We are here because Brussels is the capital of Europe, it is not a question of Belgian politics,” the former leader, Carles Puigdemont, said at a news conference that took place amid intense speculation that he and others would request asylum in Belgium. | “We are here because Brussels is the capital of Europe, it is not a question of Belgian politics,” the former leader, Carles Puigdemont, said at a news conference that took place amid intense speculation that he and others would request asylum in Belgium. |
| Mr. Puigdemont and Prime Minister Charles Michel of Belgium said that the Catalan leaders had not consulted with the government in Brussels before traveling there, and the Belgian leadership ordered parties in the governing coalition on Monday night to avoid contact with Mr. Puigdemont and his delegation. | Mr. Puigdemont and Prime Minister Charles Michel of Belgium said that the Catalan leaders had not consulted with the government in Brussels before traveling there, and the Belgian leadership ordered parties in the governing coalition on Monday night to avoid contact with Mr. Puigdemont and his delegation. |
| Mr. Puigdemont was speaking publicly for the first time after the Spanish authorities called the previous day for him and 19 other separatists to be prosecuted for rebellion after they declared Catalonia’s independence from Spain on Friday. | Mr. Puigdemont was speaking publicly for the first time after the Spanish authorities called the previous day for him and 19 other separatists to be prosecuted for rebellion after they declared Catalonia’s independence from Spain on Friday. |
| Hours later, Mr. Rajoy fired Mr. Puigdemont and his cabinet, and then dissolved the Catalan Parliament, calling for regional elections on Dec. 21, but the former Catalan leader said in Brussels that he welcomed the chance for the separatists to win the elections. | Hours later, Mr. Rajoy fired Mr. Puigdemont and his cabinet, and then dissolved the Catalan Parliament, calling for regional elections on Dec. 21, but the former Catalan leader said in Brussels that he welcomed the chance for the separatists to win the elections. |
| Mr. Puigdemont emphasized that he was not escaping Spanish justice, but he said he wanted guarantees of a fair trial and would work for now from Brussels, in “freedom and security.” | Mr. Puigdemont emphasized that he was not escaping Spanish justice, but he said he wanted guarantees of a fair trial and would work for now from Brussels, in “freedom and security.” |
| After reading the charges proposed by the Spanish attorney general, Mr. Puigdemont said that he felt Catalan politicians would not be treated fairly by the Spanish judiciary. | After reading the charges proposed by the Spanish attorney general, Mr. Puigdemont said that he felt Catalan politicians would not be treated fairly by the Spanish judiciary. |
| The possible charges, he argued, amounted to “a persecution” of people and their ideas rather than specific crimes. “More than a desire for justice, it is a desire for vengeance,” he said. | The possible charges, he argued, amounted to “a persecution” of people and their ideas rather than specific crimes. “More than a desire for justice, it is a desire for vengeance,” he said. |
| Mr. Puigdemont’s presence in Brussels adds an unexpected European dimension to Spain’s most serious political crisis in decades. | Mr. Puigdemont’s presence in Brussels adds an unexpected European dimension to Spain’s most serious political crisis in decades. |
| He is, in effect, proposing to lead his ousted Catalan government from a city that is home to the main institutions of the European Union, which has been unsympathetic to the push for secession, and is in a country, Belgium, that has its own separatist tensions. | He is, in effect, proposing to lead his ousted Catalan government from a city that is home to the main institutions of the European Union, which has been unsympathetic to the push for secession, and is in a country, Belgium, that has its own separatist tensions. |
| An asylum request would have put Mr. Michel in a difficult position. He has dismissed the possibility of granting asylum to Mr. Puigdemont, but he is the leader of a fragile coalition government and must seek to balance the demands of separatists in his own country with the need to maintain good relations with Spain. | An asylum request would have put Mr. Michel in a difficult position. He has dismissed the possibility of granting asylum to Mr. Puigdemont, but he is the leader of a fragile coalition government and must seek to balance the demands of separatists in his own country with the need to maintain good relations with Spain. |
| Belgium’s migration minister, Theo Francken, a Flemish separatist, said over the weekend that Catalonia’s leaders were welcome to apply for asylum, but the government has since sought to distance itself from the Catalan delegation. The Belgian government pointedly refused to let the news conference on Tuesday take place at the Residence Palace, an international media center in Brussels owned by the federal government. | Belgium’s migration minister, Theo Francken, a Flemish separatist, said over the weekend that Catalonia’s leaders were welcome to apply for asylum, but the government has since sought to distance itself from the Catalan delegation. The Belgian government pointedly refused to let the news conference on Tuesday take place at the Residence Palace, an international media center in Brussels owned by the federal government. |
| Instead, the Catalan delegation was forced to find another venue at the last minute, eventually settling for the tiny Press Club Brussels Europe, which is owned by the Brussels regional government. | |
| “Mr. Puigdemont has the same rights and duties as any European citizen, no more and no less,” Mr. Michel said. “The government will guard the maintenance of the rule of law.” | “Mr. Puigdemont has the same rights and duties as any European citizen, no more and no less,” Mr. Michel said. “The government will guard the maintenance of the rule of law.” |
| The comments seemed to leave open the possibility that Belgium would honor an extradition request from Spain if it sought to arrest Mr. Puigdemont and others, although they could then fight such a move in the Belgian courts. | The comments seemed to leave open the possibility that Belgium would honor an extradition request from Spain if it sought to arrest Mr. Puigdemont and others, although they could then fight such a move in the Belgian courts. |
| After Mr. Puigdemont’s news conference, his lawyer, Paul Bekaert, told VRT News that “as long as the possibility exists that Spain asks to extradite Puigdemont, it can’t be excluded that he applies for political asylum.” | After Mr. Puigdemont’s news conference, his lawyer, Paul Bekaert, told VRT News that “as long as the possibility exists that Spain asks to extradite Puigdemont, it can’t be excluded that he applies for political asylum.” |
| To that end, Mr. Puigdemont seemed to be laying the groundwork that would allow him to apply in the future. In his speech, he suggested that he was at risk of harm if he returned to Spain, since he no longer had state-provided bodyguards, and also at risk of an unfair trial, both of which could form the basis of an asylum claim. | To that end, Mr. Puigdemont seemed to be laying the groundwork that would allow him to apply in the future. In his speech, he suggested that he was at risk of harm if he returned to Spain, since he no longer had state-provided bodyguards, and also at risk of an unfair trial, both of which could form the basis of an asylum claim. |
| But the European arrest warrant, which was introduced in 2004, made it more difficult for European Union members to block extradition requests from fellow member states. The warrants assume that all members of the bloc have a fair justice system and offer full legal protection, and there are no exceptions for political offenses. | But the European arrest warrant, which was introduced in 2004, made it more difficult for European Union members to block extradition requests from fellow member states. The warrants assume that all members of the bloc have a fair justice system and offer full legal protection, and there are no exceptions for political offenses. |
| Mr. Puigdemont, together with a handful of members of his ousted cabinet, made his way to Brussels on Monday just as the Spanish attorney general, José Manuel Maza, announced in Madrid that Mr. Puigdemont and other separatist leaders should appear “urgently” in court there. | Mr. Puigdemont, together with a handful of members of his ousted cabinet, made his way to Brussels on Monday just as the Spanish attorney general, José Manuel Maza, announced in Madrid that Mr. Puigdemont and other separatist leaders should appear “urgently” in court there. |
| Mr. Puigdemont, however, said the length of his Brussels stay would depend “on the circumstances.” “If we could be guaranteed that the trial would be fair,” he said, “without doubt I would return immediately.” | Mr. Puigdemont, however, said the length of his Brussels stay would depend “on the circumstances.” “If we could be guaranteed that the trial would be fair,” he said, “without doubt I would return immediately.” |
| Had he and his entire cabinet stayed in Barcelona this week, he said, “with an attitude of resistance, there would have been a very violent reaction by the state.” | Had he and his entire cabinet stayed in Barcelona this week, he said, “with an attitude of resistance, there would have been a very violent reaction by the state.” |
| “I don’t ask anything from Belgian politicians, except as part of European politics,” Mr. Puigdemont said. | “I don’t ask anything from Belgian politicians, except as part of European politics,” Mr. Puigdemont said. |
| Instead, he repeated his call for the European Union to step into the conflict, a plea that has been rejected by European leaders. “To the international community and especially Europe, I ask them to react,” he said. | Instead, he repeated his call for the European Union to step into the conflict, a plea that has been rejected by European leaders. “To the international community and especially Europe, I ask them to react,” he said. |
| Mr. Maza wants judges to allow him to pursue charges of rebellion, sedition and the misuse of public funds against those who organized and carried out an illegal independence referendum on Oct. 1. | Mr. Maza wants judges to allow him to pursue charges of rebellion, sedition and the misuse of public funds against those who organized and carried out an illegal independence referendum on Oct. 1. |
| Mr. Puigdemont said that Mr. Maza was accusing his ousted government of rebellion, which carries a sentence of up to 30 years, for trying to fulfill his “electoral program” of creating a Catalan republic. | Mr. Puigdemont said that Mr. Maza was accusing his ousted government of rebellion, which carries a sentence of up to 30 years, for trying to fulfill his “electoral program” of creating a Catalan republic. |
| The decision by Mr. Puigdemont and other top officials to seek a haven in Brussels comes as the national government in Madrid takes direct administrative control of Catalonia, using emergency constitutional powers that Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy invoked to stifle secessionism. | The decision by Mr. Puigdemont and other top officials to seek a haven in Brussels comes as the national government in Madrid takes direct administrative control of Catalonia, using emergency constitutional powers that Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy invoked to stifle secessionism. |
| Officials in Madrid on Monday welcomed the news that Mr. Puigdemont had chosen to leave Spain rather than remain in Barcelona and resist the national government’s decision to oust him. Mr. Puigdemont, meanwhile, called on Catalans to oppose the dismantling of their region’s institutions. | Officials in Madrid on Monday welcomed the news that Mr. Puigdemont had chosen to leave Spain rather than remain in Barcelona and resist the national government’s decision to oust him. Mr. Puigdemont, meanwhile, called on Catalans to oppose the dismantling of their region’s institutions. |
| Asked whether his secessionist plan had plunged Catalonia into uncertainty and confusion, Mr. Puigdemont said, “The chaos started on Oct. 1, with the violence on the part of the Spanish side,” a reference to the independence referendum that had been declared illegal by Spain’s judiciary but that went ahead amid clashes between Spanish police officers and Catalan voters. | Asked whether his secessionist plan had plunged Catalonia into uncertainty and confusion, Mr. Puigdemont said, “The chaos started on Oct. 1, with the violence on the part of the Spanish side,” a reference to the independence referendum that had been declared illegal by Spain’s judiciary but that went ahead amid clashes between Spanish police officers and Catalan voters. |