Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 23 January 2018
Eurozone looks to final stages of Greek bailout

By RAF CASERT Finance ministers of the and unwillingness to bend adding that “Greek author- missioner Pierre Moscovici
Associated Press 19-nation eurozone said to the demands of credi- ities have also continued to said the eurozone should
BRUSSELS (AP) — Eurozone there was little doubt that tors, the 19 finance minis- strengthen tax collection.” prepare for “a successful
finance ministers warmly Athens would soon get the ters were congratulatory On top of it, the minis- conclusion, which means
endorsed Greece’s finan- green light for another dis- in their assessment of the ters said Athens had “en- Greece being back as a
cial progress Monday in bursement of 6.7 billion eu- recalcitrant member. hanced the fairness and normal member of the eu-
the latest review of Ath- ros in bailout money start- “The Greek authorities effectiveness of the social rozone and the final signal
ens’ bailout program, put- ing next month. have over-achieved the welfare system. The business — the end of the Greek
ting the country on track to After years of other euro- fiscal targets set over the environment has been im- crisis.” “It is a great effort
emerge from its eight-year zone nations griping about last three years,” the euro- proved by further actions.” by the Greek authorities,”
rescue this summer. Greece’s foot-dragging group said in a statement, EU Financial Affairs Com- Moscovici said.q

Ex-Catalan leader makes trip after Spain judge nixes arrest

By JAN M. OLSEN with which he could be
ARITZ PARRA charged.
Associated Press The push for independence
COPENHAGEN, Denmark by the Catalan govern-
(AP) — The fugitive ex-pres- ment, while Puigdemont
ident of Spain’s Catalonia was regional president, trig-
region left his self-exile in gered Spain’s most serious
Belgium and visited Den- political crisis in decades.
mark unimpeded Monday Spain ousted Puigdemont’s
after a Spanish judge re- Cabinet, dissolved the re-
fused to ask Danish authori- gional parliament and
ties to arrest him. called a December re-
Supreme Court Judge Pab- gional election as part of
lo Llarena rejected a peti- special powers invoked fol-
tion from Spain’s top pros- lowing the independence
ecutor to issue a European declaration.
arrest warrant for Carles He and his 13 former Cabi-
Puigdemont, saying the net members face possible
former Catalan leader was charges of rebellion, sedi-
trying to “provoke his arrest tion and embezzlement,
overseas” with his planned which carry jail sentences
trip to Copenhagen. of up to 30 years under
Puigdemont’s journey, Spanish law. Despite Puig-
which included attending demont’s legal situation,
a university debate and Ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, center, arrives in Copenhagen on Monday, Jan. 22, Catalan parliamentary
meeting Danish lawmakers, 2018. The fugitive former leader of Catalonia has arrived in Denmark, despite threats from Spain speaker Roger Torrent said
came nearly three months to seek his immediate arrest there. Puigdemont is being investigated by Spain over a unilateral Monday that the former
after he was removed from declaration of independence by Catalonia’s parliament on Oct. 27. president was the only can-
office and fled to Belgium. (Tariq Mikkel Khan/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) didate with enough back-
A warrant for his arrest re- candidate to form a new “Facing the legal impossi- activate a European arrest ing following last month’s
mains open in Spain. government, despite his bility to be elected without warrant for Puigdemont. election to attempt to form
Spanish authorities are in- status as a fugitive. being present at the Parlia- The Catalan parliament a new government.
vestigating him and other Llarena, the Spain Su- ment, provoking his arrest has not set a date for the Spanish Prime Minister Mari-
Catalan officials for pos- preme Court judge, said overseas seeks to equip investiture vote, but the ano Rajoy has even threat-
sible rebellion and sedition he suspected Puigdemont him with a justification that deadline is Jan. 31st. ened to maintain special
charges related to regional planned the trip to Den- his absence is not a free de- Spanish courts initially constitutional powers to
parliament’s Oct. 27 decla- mark with its attendant risk cision as a fugitive, but the sought Puigdemont’s ex- keep direct control of the
ration of independence. of arrest so he could blame consequence of a situa- tradition from Belgium region.
Shortly after Puigdemont Spain for missing an up- tion that has been imposed but canceled that peti- Torrent said he asked Rajoy
arrived in Denmark, Cat- coming vote in the regional on him,” Llarena wrote in tion amid concerns that for a meeting to talk about
alonia’s parliamentary Parliament to elect a new his decision rejecting the Belgium might send him the “abnormal situation” in
speaker proposed him as leader. prosecutor’s request to re- back but restrict the crimes Catalonia.q

Once-influential UKIP in chaos as leader refuses to quit

By JILL LAWLESS said he wouldn’t step tion and “put an end to the messages sent by his girl- Meghan Markle would
Associated Press down, even after UKIP’s ex- factional in-fighting within friend, 25-year-old model “taint” the royal family.
LONDON (AP) — The U.K. In- ecutive backed a no-confi- the party.” Jo Marney. Bolton has said Parker, the former deputy
dependence Party, which dence motion and several He said the UKIP executive he ended “the romantic leader, said Bolton’s per-
played a key role in Britain’s members of the party’s top had lost the confidence side” of his relationship with sonal life was overshadow-
decision to leave the Euro- team resigned to protest his of many party members, Marney after the Mail on ing his job.
pean Union, was in disarray leadership. and “it is time to drain the Sunday newspaper pub- “It would be quicker and
Monday as its leader resist- “I shall not be resigning as swamp.” Bolton, 54, has lished text messages to a cleaner if he came to the
ed demands to quit amid party leader,” Bolton said, faced growing pressure friend in which she called conclusion he could go
a scandal over his personal adding that he planned to resign since a newspa- black people “ugly” and sooner rather than later,”
life. A defiant Henry Bolton to reform UKIP’s constitu- per published racist text said Prince Harry’s fiancee she told the BBC.q