Alex Trelinski
THE EUROPEAN UNION Court of Justice has confirmed that the former Catalunya president Carles Puigdemont and two other Catalan separatist Members of the European Parliament, do not have legal immunity.
The court said it ‘rejects all the pleas’ made by Puigdemont, Antoni Comin and Clara Ponsati after the European Parliament stripped them of immunity in 2021.
The three leaders are wanted by Spanish authorities for their role in Catalunya’s October 2017 declaration of independence following an illegal referendum.
The court said that charges against them are down to Spain and have nothing to do with the European Parliament.
The matter is not yet over as the trio said they would lodge an appeal to the Court of Justice of the European Union.
The latest ruling means that Puigdemont who lives in Belgium is open to extradition to Spain on charges of disobedience and embezzlement.
Spanish Supreme Court judge Pablo Llarena said he would submit a new extradition request to Belgian authorities for Puigdemont to face trial depending on the EU courts’ rulings.
Previous moves to have Puigdemont extradited during his visits and stays in Germany, Belgium and Italy have come to nothing.
READ MORE:
- EU court ruling may see extradition of former Catalan premier Carles Puigdemont a step closer
- Sedition charges dropped by Spain’s Supreme Court against ex-Catalunya president Carles Puigdemont
- Ex-Catalunya president Carles Puigdemont wins latest battle to stop extradition to Spain
