The European Parliament has lifted the immunity of former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont

The European Parliament voted on Tuesday in favor of lifting the immunity of the former president of the Spanish region of Catalonia Carles Puigdemont, and two of his collaborators. The decision could open the door to their extradition to Spain.

The vote on Puigdemont ended with 400 votes for the lifting of immunity, 248 against and 45 abstentions.

Initiatives aimed at lifting the immunity of the former Catalan Minister of Health, Toni Comín, and the former regional education advisor, Clara Ponsatí, had similar results.

Puigdemont and several of his colleagues fled to Belgium in October 2017, since they feared to be detained after holding a referendum on the independence of the northeastern region of Catalonia, which the Spanish government has called illegal. Spanish justice accuses Puigdemont and Comín of sedition and embezzlement, and Ponsatí only of sedition.

Lifting of immunity It was a necessary condition for the common justice to analyze the requests presented by the Spanish Supreme Court, which requires the shipment of all three to be processed in your country.

Anyway, Tuesday’s decision does not immediately affect the situation of the three leaders Catalans, who will be able to continue to exercise their functions as MEPs.

Puigdemont, Comín and Ponsatí won seats in the European Parliament in the 2019 elections and they obtained protection as members of the European chamber.

Puigdemont’s legal team had planned appeal the withdrawal of immunity to the European Court of Justice, in Luxembourg.

Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee recommended lifting their immunity in a vote last month, with 15 votes in favor, 8 against and 2 abstentions.

The court process, however, shouldn’t be that straightforward. In January, the Belgian justice had already rejected a Spanish request for the extradition of another Catalan adviser, Lluís puig, who was Minister of Culture and currently residing in Belgium, arguing the “risk of violation of his fundamental rights” and thus questioning the jurisdiction of the Spanish Supreme Court in this case.

Spain celebrates decision

For its part, the spanish government celebrated the decision of the european parliament, stating that this shows that “Catalonia’s problems are solved in Spain” and not in Europe.

The vote of the European Parliament sends “A triple message”, one of which is that “the problems of Catalonia are solved in Spain, they are not solved in Europe”, declared the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arancha González, in a short video.

This position is in line with the position of the Spanish government, to reach out “to Catalan political forces to find a solution” to the political crisis in this region, that in 2017 he performed in an unsuccessful attempt to separate from Spain, González continued.

The minister was the first authority in Spain to react to the decision of the plenary of the Parliament European.

For Minister González, the European Parliament sent another message: “That a MEP cannot take advantage of his condition to protect himself from appearing before national courts for possible violations of national laws ”.

In addition, he also shows his respect “for the work of Spanish justice” and reaffirms the “Strength of the Spanish rule of law”, González said.

(With information from the AP and AFP)

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