NEWLY elected MEP Carles Puigdemont was giving a lecture on the Catalan political crisis at the Oxford Union last night as he and two political colleagues prepared for a protracted legal battle to take their seats in Europe.
The former Catalan president and a former minister Toni Comin were elected on Sunday, along with former vice-president Oriol Junqueras, who is on trial over the 2017 independence referendum there. Puigdemont and Comin are in self-imposed exile in Belgium and face arrest on rebellion and sedition charges should they try to enter Spain.
READ MORE: Jailed Catalan leader Sanchez in bid to leave prison to meet king
However, the trio are likely to face complex legal obstacles before being able to attend the European Parliament.
Junqueras has already taken his seat in the Spanish Congress, along with three other prisoners, and a fourth who was sworn in to Spain’s Senate. The five were suspended as parliamentarians days afterwards.
Under Spanish law, all new MPs, senators and MEPs must swear an oath of allegiance to the Spanish constitution at Spain’s Central Electoral Board (JEC) in Madrid, as well as collect the required documentation to take public office.
EU Parliament lawyers said in a report last month this had to be completed in person as Puigdemont and Comin would be arrested on the same charges on which Junqueras is being tried.
He is expected to be granted temporary release to go through the procedure, but he would have to give up his congressional seat as the two are incompatible.
However, Jordi Sebastia, a former Spanish MEP, told the Catalan News Agency (ACN) he was able to collect his European Parliament credentials before his swearing-in ceremony in Madrid and that in his case the oath was merely “a formality”.
Puigdemont and Comin would also have to renounce their claims to seats in the Catalan Parliament, but they are likely to appeal against that stipulation, claiming that a physical presence is not compulsory in other European countries.
The European Parliament has said the decision on the final list of MEPs is up to the JEC.
Junqueras said he would defend his rights “in all levels and before all possible judicial institutions”.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here