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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 7 November 2017
Catalan crisis Belgium’s ‘nightmare,’ Spain ties at risk

By LORNE COOK and they come ahead of
Associated Press member state law,” Jam-
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Cata- bon said.
lan crisis is being called a “I think the international
“nightmare” and a “time community must keep a
bomb” for Belgium’s gov- close watch.”
ernment. On Twitter, a close Rajoy
The outlawed indepen- ally and member of the
dence referendum in Cat- European Parliament, Este-
alonia hasn’t just sparked a ban Gonzalez Pons, wrote
political crisis in Spain. The that “a year ago, Jambon
flight of the region’s oust- who is defending Puigde-
ed president to Brussels is mont, was justifying col-
sowing divisions within the laboration with the Nazis.”
Belgian government and Belgian Prime Minister
looks set to damage ties Charles Michel has tried to
between the two Europe- stay above the fray, refus-
an Union partners. ing so far to comment on
Even as Carles Puigdemont the case of Puigdemont
and his lawyer were ques- and four of his associates
tioned by an investigating in Belgium.Still, that hasn’t
judge on Sunday about stopped Belgian Foreign
his extradition, members of In this photo, EU leaders pose for a group photo at an EU summit in Brussels. The outlawed Catalan Minister Didier Reynders
Belgium’s government, Bel- independence referendum has not just sparked a political crisis in Spain. The flight of the region’s from weighing in.
gian politicians and Span- ousted president to Brussels is sowing divisions within the Belgian government that looks set to “There has been excite-
ish officials were trading damage ties between the two EU partners. ment around this dossier
barbs in the mainstream (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) that exceeds the limits
and social media. is about raising the profile Around 900 people were tance officers met on the of what is reasonable,”
Most vocal are members of Catalan nationhood at hurt — nearly all of them streets. he told broadcaster RTL.
of the Flemish national- European level, and not to minor injuries. Spain’s gov- “You have Spanish law but “Some people are getting
ist N-VA party — a key interfere in Belgian politics, ernment defended the po- also international law, the involved in Belgium and
member of Belgium’s rul- or “Belgianize” politics in lice response, saying it was European Human Rights commenting on the crisis
ing coalition and whose Catalonia. proportionate to the resis- Treaty and such things when it’s not their role.” q
separatist desires appear But his stay is being dubbed
to have been inflamed by “the Belgian government’s
Puigdemont’s most recent nightmare” in the media.
drive for Catalan indepen- “The dossier is a time bomb
dence from Spain. for the federal coalition,”
“I am just questioning how wrote the daily Le Soir.
an EU member state can Very little criticism of Span-
go this far,” Belgian Deputy ish Prime Minister Mariano
Prime Minister and Interior Rajoy’s government has
Minister Jan Jambon told been voiced by Spain’s
the VTM network Sunday, 27 EU partner countries,
in reference to the jailing but Belgium did condemn
of several of Puigdemont’s the violence, much of it
associates in Spain last blamed on police heavy-
week. handedness, that marked
Puigdemont maintains the Oct. 1 referendum in
that his arrival in Brussels Catalonia.
Silent march in Poland over

man who set himself on fire

WARSAW, Poland (AP) of ridicule internationally.
— Hundreds of people He wrote in his letter that
marched in silence Mon- ruling party leader Jaro-
day to honor a man who slaw Kaczynski and other
set himself on fire to protest party leaders would have
policies by Poland’s ruling “blood on their hands” for
party that he said are de- his death.
stroying the rule of law and In his letter, he described
democracy in the country. himself as an “ordinary gray
Piotr Szczesny, a 54-year- man” and called on his fel-
old chemist, set himself low Poles to revolt against
alight on Oct. 19 and died the government.
more than a week later. He “Do not wait any longer!
left a letter explaining he This government must be
was protesting a govern- changed as fast as pos-
ment that he accused of sible before it completely
limiting civil liberties, violat- destroys our country, be-
ing the constitution and fore it completely deprives
making Poland an object us of freedom,” he wrote.q