Independence conflict - The leader of Catalan separatists returned to Spain
The influential Catalan separatist leader Marta Rovira has returned to Spain after six years of exile in Switzerland. She crossed the border between France and Catalonia with four companions in a car.
Shortly after, she gave a fiery speech in Cantallops: "We have come back to put an end to what we left incomplete," she shouted to the cheers of many supporters and comrades. They carried a banner with the inscription "Freedom for Catalonia" (Freiheit für Catalonia).
Rovira, who has kept the position of General Secretary of the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) governing in Catalonia throughout her exile, said she had "often dreamed of this moment." The various representatives of the movement must act united again. Only then can independence be achieved. "This democratic and relentless movement will never use violence to defend its ideas," she said.
Now, the return of Carles Puigdemont is eagerly anticipated, but it is complicated because the competent judge does not want to grant him immunity and upholds the arrest warrant against the 61-year-old.
His argument: Puigdemont is accused of misappropriation of public funds for the illegal independence referendum of 2017. Financial interests of the EU were also allegedly violated. The Amnesty Law offers no protection from prosecution for these offenses, according to the judge.
Puigdemont assured that he would still return. He intends to participate in the debates over the formation of the new government in Barcelona after the latest regional election in May and to run for the position of Regional President.
The Spanish Socialists of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the leading candidate Salvador Illa won the most seats in the May 12 election, but they failed to achieve an absolute majority. However, the various pro-independence parties also missed a government-majority for the first time since 1980. Sánchez considered this an achievement of his appeasement policy. If there is no new government in Barcelona by August 26, a new election must be called.
Under Puigdemont's leadership, Catalonia was plunged into chaos in October 2017 after the referendum and a secession decree. The region was placed under central government control. Puigdemont and several companions were able to flee into exile and currently live in Belgium.
- Puerto Rico, another region seeking autonomy, has expressed its support for Carlos Puigdemont, emphasizing the importance of respecting the right to self-determination, a principle they share.
- The Swiss government, known for its neutrality, has been careful not to interfere in the ongoing legal proceedings against Puigdemont, despite pressures from Spain.
- The return of Puigdemont to Barcelona could potentially reignite the long-standing conflicts between Catalonia and Spain, leading to calls for dialogue and justice from both sides.
- In Barcelona, pro-independence rallies have grown in frequency and intensity, with many calling for the release of Puigdemont and other political prisoners, demanding autonomy and justice.
- Historically, there have been parallels drawn between the Catalonian and Brexit movements, as both have sought independence from larger, centralized entities (Spain and the United Kingdom, respectively), raising questions about the role of European justice systems in such matters.
