Spain issues EU arrest order for Catalan leader

A Spanish judge issued an EU arrest warrant for Catalonia's deposed separatist leader yesterday after he failed to appear for questioning over the region's independence drive, a court statement said.

Spanish prosecutors want to charge Carles Puigdemont, who is in Belgium, with rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds. Eight of his ministers were put behind bars on Thursday pending a possible trial.

Also yesterday, Puigdemont said he was ready to run as a candidate in snap regional elections next month after his government was fired by Madrid for declaring independence.

"I'm ready to be a candidate," Puigdemont told RTBF television in Belgium, where he is currently holed up after leaving Catalonia at the weekend. "I want to send a message to our people."

He added, "I will face justice, but (only) true justice... I told my lawyers to tell the Belgian judiciary I am completely ready to cooperate."

Madrid last month dissolved Catalonia's parliament after regional lawmakers voted to declare independence from Spain off the back of a banned referendum on the issue.

New regional elections are set for December 21.

The detention of the secessionist leaders and Puigdemont's flight to Belgium have given a new boost to the secessionist camp after cracks appeared in its ranks.

Thousands of people staged pro-independence protests on Thursday night in several Catalan towns, and parties forming the current coalition Junts Pel Si (Together For Yes) are pushing to run again on a joint ticket at the election.

An opinion poll published on Tuesday showed Junts Pel Si would win the December election with 35.2 percent if the vote was held today and would likely reach a parliamentary majority if it stuck with its current pact with far-left party CUP.

Facing such a prospect, the Spanish government said yesterday  it would have no option but to open talks within the law with those who held a majority.

[From Afp, Reuters]