Page 8 - aruba-today-20171111

A8 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 11 November 2017
EU adds haste with call for UK Brexit progress in 2 weeks

2019. In a recognition that week. Pro-EU lawmakers
progress has been slow, say they will try to amend
U.K. Brexit Secretary David it to give Parliament a veto
Davis said that “we need to on any deal with the bloc.
see flexibility, imagination Trying to regain a grip on
and willingness to make the Brexit process, May
progress on both sides if warned pro-EU legislators
these negotiations are to they must not try to slow or
succeed.” stop the country’s depar-
In Berlin, Steffen Seibert, ture.
spokesman for Chancellor May said in The Daily Tele-
Angela Merkel said Friday graph newspaper that the
that “it is indeed in Great government would not tol-
Britain’s hands to create erate attempts “to try to
the conditions that would block the democratic wish-
make it possible” to move es of the British people by
to the next phase of trade attempting to slow down
relations. or stop our departure from
May faces a multitude the European Union.”
of woes on the domestic The comments came as
front, including a minority the official who created
government deeply divid- the rules for leaving the EU
European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, right, and British Secretary of State for
Exiting the European Union David Davis participate in a media conference at EU headquarters in ed over Brexit, a sexual ha- said that Britain can legally
Brussels on Friday, Nov. 10, 2017. The EU and Britain conducted a sixth round of Brexit negotiations rassment scandal involving stop the process any time
on Friday. a growing number of poli- it wants before exit day in
(AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) ticians and resignation of 2019.
By RAF CASERT mained on vital divorce EU leaders time to assess two Cabinet ministers so far John Kerr, who drafted
JILL LAWLESS issues including Britain’s things before their Decem- this month. Article 50 of the EU’s key
Associated Press Brexit bill, the Irish border ber meeting. Asked whether the EU wor- treaty, said that “while the
BRUSSELS (AP) — As if British and the rights of citizens af- The biggest stumbling bloc ries May’s government divorce talks proceed the
Prime Minister Theresa May fected by Brexit. remains money. Britain might collapse, Barnier said parties are still married ...
wasn’t facing enough pres- EU leaders are due to as- has said it will pay to settle “I am not going to com- We can change our mind
sure at home, the European sess at a Dec. 14-15 summit commitments it has made ment on the internal po- at any stage.”
Union piled on more Friday whether “sufficient prog- to the EU budget, but has litical situation in the United Kerr said the British govern-
by insisting there must be ress” has been made on not agreed to the EU’s esti- Kingdom.” ment has misled voters into
real progress in the Brexit divorce terms to move to mated bill of some 60 billion “We are, of course, watch- believing the process is un-
talks in the next two weeks phase two of the talks, as euros ($70 billion). ing it very closely,” he add- stoppable.
if Britain wants negotiations Britain desires. Barnier said it was “impera- ed. The government said it
to move on to future trade EU chief negotiator Mi- tive” to turn into concrete May faces another test plans to enshrine in law the
relations next month. chel Barnier confirmed commitments May’s prom- when a key piece of Brexit date and time of the U.K.’s
After another inconclusive that means Britain needs ise that Britain will pay its legislation, the EU With- departure — 11 p.m. on
negotiating session, both to make a shift within two financial dues before leav- drawal Bill, returns to the March 29, 2019 — as a pro-
sides said differences re- weeks to give the 27 other ing the EU on March 29, House of Commons next tection against delay.q

Top Catalan lawmaker freed from jail after posting bail

By CIARAN GILES she tweeted later. “With an Mendez de Vigo said the
Associated Press easy conscience for having lawmakers’ commitment
MADRID (AP) — A top Cat- acted correctly: to guaran- to the judge indicated that
alan lawmaker on Friday tee freedom of expression a “return of constitutional
left a Madrid prison where in (the Catalan) Parlia- order (in Catalonia) is start-
she spent the night after ment, headquarters of the ing to become a reality.”
posting the bail a Spanish national sovereignty.” Forcadell, long one of the
judge imposed as part of Forcadell and five other leading figures of the Cata-
a wide-ranging rebellion in- Catalan lawmakers are be- lan independence move-
vestigation stemming from ing investigated for the ac- ment, testified Thursday
Catalonia’s declaration of tions that led to the region- that the independence
independence. al Parliament’s Oct. 27 vote declaration was “symbol-
Spain’s Supreme Court said to declare independence ic,” according to lawyers
the judge who jailed and from Spain. familiar with the proceed-
set bail Thursday for Cata- After questioning the law- ings.
lonia Parliament speaker makers, magistrate Pablo Spanish Foreign Minister Al-
Carme Forcadell, freed Catalonia parliament speaker Carme Forcadell is driven in a Llarena jailed only Forc- fonso Dastis told Cope ra-
her after the 150,000 euros car out of the Alcala-Meco prison in Alcala de Henares, near adell immediately. He or- dio Friday that it “remains
($175,000) bond was regis- Madrid, Friday, Nov. 10, 2017. The Supreme Court ordered Friday dered four to pay 25,000- to be seen” if Forcadell will
the release from jail of Catalan parliament speaker Carme
tered. Forcadell. Forcadell and five other Catalan lawmakers were euro ($29,000) bail in one follow Spanish laws and
As conditions of Forcadell’s quizzed by the judge Thursday over the regional parliament’s week to remain out of cus- court rulings preventing
release, the judge with- Oct. 27 vote to declare independence from Spain. tody and released another Catalan lawmakers from
drew her passport and or- (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) who opposed the declara- unilaterally seceding. If she
dered her to stay in Spain, to return before the Su- on in a car without speak- tion of Catalonia as a sepa- doesn’t, Dastis expects the
to check in at a court in preme Court if summoned. ing to reporters. rate republic. Spanish gov- judge to consider revoking
Catalonia each week and The lawmaker left the pris- “We’re going back home,” ernment spokesman Inigo Forcadell’s bail.q