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A8 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 8 november 2017

Ousted Catalan leader challenges EU to speak out on crisis

By LORNE COOK already been sent to jail erendum in Catalonia.
ARITZ PARRA in Spain. One of them was Hours earlier, Puigdemont
CIARAN GILES released on bail during the did an interview in Brussels
Associated Press investigation. with Catalan public radio.
BRUSSELS (AP) — Catalo- “We are the legitimate The separatist leader said
nia’s ousted leader vowed government of Catalonia that there is an “absolute
Tuesday to prolong the and we are going to carry disconnect between the
fight for independence on,” former regional gov- interests of the people and
from Spain and urged the ernment member Meritxell the European elites” and
European Union to speak Serret told the audience, that Catalonia’s problem
out over the jailing of Cat- her voice breaking with is an “issue of human rights
alan officials in a rebellion emotion. that requires maximum at-
case. Puigdemont also chal- tention.”
Carles Puigdemont’s com- lenged the European Puigdemont is fighting ex-
ments came at a cam- Union to finally make its tradition to Spain, where
paign-style rally in Bel- Ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont addresses Catalan voice heard. Catalan of- other members of the
gium’s capital attended mayors who travelled to Brussels to take part in an event in ficials at the Brussels event ousted Cabinet have been
by around 200 mayors from support of the ousted Catalan government in Brussels, Belgium Tuesday urged European sent to jail while awaiting
Catalonia who greeted the on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017. Union leaders to take up the results of a probe for
deposed president with (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) the Catalan cause. allegedly implementing a
chants of “president” and sang the Catalan anthem. Flanked by four associates “Is this the Europe you want, strategy to secede from
“freedom.” “We will never renounce who fled Spain with him, is this the Europe you want Spain. His next hearing be-
The mayors raised their this ideal of a country, of Puigdemont challenged to build, with a democrati- fore a Belgian court is on
walking sticks, a symbol of this notion of democracy,” the Spanish authorities and cally elected government Nov. 17.
mayoral power in Spain, Puigdemont told the may- international community in jail?” he said before a Catalan independence is
in the air at the end of his ors, gathered in a central to accept the results of a group of mayors held up now the second cause of
speech and the crowd Brussels art museum. snap Catalan election on big letters spelling “Help concern for Spaniards, be-
Dec. 21 if separatists win. Catalonia.” hind unemployment and
Puigdemont and his col- The leaders of all the EU’s ahead of corruption, ac-
leagues could face 30 main institutions are party cording to the latest gov-
years in jail in Spain on allies of Spanish Prime Min- ernment-run poll. Before
charges of rebellion, sedi- ister Mariano Rajoy. They the illegal independence
tion and embezzlement if have refused to criticize referendum that deep-
Belgian justice authorities his government, and only ened the political crisis, the
agree to extradite them. reacted very cautiously to issue was only ninth in the
Nine former Catalan gov- police violence during the ranking of concerns by the
ernment members have Oct. 1 independence ref- CIS survey.q

Brexit:

UK tweaks offer on rights ahead of talks

LONDON (AP) — Britain stay, but EU officials have tions.”
promised Tuesday that Eu- said the government’s pro- “We will support everyone
ropean Union citizens will posals nonetheless would wishing to stay to gain set-
have the right to appeal if erode the existing rights of tled status through a new
they are denied permission European citizens. straightforward, stream-
to live in the country after The British government lined system,” Davis said.
it leaves the EU, part of an promised Tuesday that no However, the British posi-
improved offer before a one would be denied resi- tion still does not give the
new round of Brexit talks this dency over “minor techni- European Court of Justice
week.The future status of 3 calities” and said citizens jurisdiction over citizens’
million EU citizens in Britain of EU member countries post-Brexit rights, as the EU
and 1 million Britons in other would be able to appeal wants.
parts of the 28-nation bloc to British courts if they were The current timetable calls
has been one of the main refused permission to live in for Britain to leave the EU in
hurdles in the negotiations the U.K. March 2019, and the gov-
that started in June. U.K. Brexit Secretary David ernment wants to settle the
Britain has repeatedly said Davis said “safeguarding terms of the split so the two
that EU nationals already in the rights of EU citizens is sides can begin discussing
the U.K. would be able to our top priority in negotia- future relations.q