The ousted Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont, demanded a European Union reaction in his speech before the 200 Catalan mayors, meeting in Brussels on Tuesday. He also specifically thanked his “Flemish friends from the New Flemish Alliance.”
This was followed by a round of applause, after several members of the Flemish nationalist party rose - indeed a standing ovation. Mr Puigdemont indicated, “Mesdames and Messrs Mayors, you have no idea what your presence here today symbolises for us, your solidarity, your attachment to these fundamental values which are in danger not only in Catalonia, but in the whole of Europe as well.” He is in exile in Brussels with four of his former ministers, each subject to respective European arrest warrants issued by Spain.
He went on, “Citizens throughout Europe are asking why Europe is still not reacting to all of these abuses of democracy. Spain must answer for its abuses before the international justice system.”
The Brussels Times
