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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 24 January 2018

Catalan ex-leader says he's working to return home

COPENHAGEN, Denmark vestigating him and other
(AP) — Former Catalan Catalan officials for pos-
leader Carles Puigdemont sible rebellion and sedition
said Tuesday that he is charges related to the re-
working to return home gional parliament's Oct.
to be re-elected as the 27 declaration of indepen-
regional president, but dence.
stopped short of saying Spain's interior minister said
when and how. Tuesday that surveillance
Puigdemont, who faces will be stepped up to en-
almost-certain arrest if he sure that Puigdemont can't
returns to Spain's Catalonia re-enter the country unde-
region, spoke after meeting tected.
a small group of lawmakers Asked whether the govern-
at the Danish Parliament. ment feared Puigdemont
"My return (to) Barcelona re-emerging in the regional
will not be only good news parliament later this month,
for Catalan people who Spanish Interior Minister
support our cause but also Juan Ignacio Zoido said:
for Spanish people and for "We are very worried, be-
Spanish democracy," Puig- cause we don't know what
demont told reporters after a person with this behavior
the hour-long meeting. might do."
"It is my goal. I'm working for Zoido told broadcaster An- Ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, centre poses for pictures at the University of Copen-
that. I'm working for that. tena 3 that security forces hagen on Monday Jan. 22, 2018. Puigdemont said Tuesday that he is working to return home to
I'm working to be there," face a difficult challenge be re-elected as the regional president. (Tariq Mikkel Khan /Ritzau Scanpix via AP)
he added. Puigdemont given the many possible
has the backing of a slim ways to enter Catalonia. ish Parliament by a Faero- lands, a semi-autonomous stand each other by talking
majority of Catalan law- "We are analyzing all the ese lawmaker who had in- Danish territory, criticized together, not by ignoring
makers to be reinstalled as possibilities," he said. "We vited him for the unofficial the Danish government each other," he said. Den-
the region's president, al- are going to make sure that meeting with politicians. and opposition lawmakers mark has been supportive
though his re-election fac- he can't even enter in the Magni Arge, a member of for rejecting invitations to but efforts have stopped
es legal challenges and a trunk of a car."Puigdemont the left-wing Republican meet Puigdemont. short because of econom-
fierce political opposition. was welcomed to the Dan- Party from the Faeroe Is- "One can start to under- ic considerations.q
He is expected to meet
the president of the Cata- 3 arrested in Poland after expose on neo-Nazis
Wednesday in Brussels with

lan parliament, Roger Tor- WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The private news channel About 6 million Polish citi- ties of the neo-Nazi group,
rent. Puigdemont said he Polish authorities have ar- TVN24 broadcast an ex- zens were killed in that con- whose members chanted
aims to discuss "how we rested and charged three pose Saturday about "Pride flict, while Polish cities were the "Sieg Heil" Nazi salute
can start this path in order people with propagat- and Modernity," a neo- razed and the country's and praised Hitler at an
to restore the democratic ing fascism after a news Nazi group whose mem- cultural heritage looted. altar in a wooded area at
situation." Puigdemont's trip program revealed details bers dressed in Nazi uni- "In Poland we cannot have night as a swastika burned.
to Denmark, which started about a neo-Nazi group forms and praised Hitler last the slightest tolerance of A spokeswoman for nation-
Monday, comes nearly in Poland that celebrated spring on what would have Nazi, fascist or communist al prosecutors, Ewa Bialik,
three months after he was Adolf Hitler in a ceremony been the German dicta- symbols," Morawiecki said said that three suspected
removed from office and last year, prosecutors said tor's 128th birthday. at a news conference in neo-Nazis were arrested
fled to Belgium. A war- Tuesday.Prime Minister Ma- Poland was invaded and Warsaw. and charged with propa-
rant for his arrest remains teusz Morawiecki said Tues- occupied by Nazi Germa- "The use of them is against gating fascism, a crime
open in Spain, but a judge day that the state would ny and the Soviet Union the law and against all of that can carry a prison sen-
in Spain rejected a Span- not tolerate any use of to- during World War II, and our values." tence of up to two years.
ish prosecutor's request to talitarian symbols and he the existence of the pro- He also thanked the jour- She said one was found in
have him arrested in the wants to see the neo-Nazi Hitler group has sparked nalists who went undercov- possession of a weapon
Scandinavian country. group outlawed. shock and revulsion. er to document the activi- and ammunition. q
Spanish authorities are in-