Copenhagen, Jan 22 (AFP) Ousted Catalan leader CarlesPuigdemont today vowed to form a new government despite"threats" from the central government in Madrid, after aSpanish judge refused to re-issue a European warrant for hisarrest.
Speaking at a debate on Catalonia at the University ofCopenhagen, Puigdemont said: "We will not surrender toauthoritarianism despite Madrid's threats.""Soon we will form a new government... it's time to endtheir oppression and find a political solution for Catalonia,"the 55-year-old politician added.
Puigdemont's comments came hours after the speaker of theCatalan parliament proposed him as president of Cataloniafollowing an election in December in which separatist partiesonce again won an absolute majority.
Roger Torrent said Puigdemont's candidacy to once againhead Catalonia's regional government is "absolutelylegitimate", even though the secessionist leader facescriminal proceedings in Spain over his role in Catalonia'sindependence drive.
Puigdemont defied Spanish prosecutors' attempt to re-issue a European arrest warrant if he left Belgium, where hehas been in exile since a failed independence bid.
But Supreme Court Judge Pablo Llarena turned down therequest, arguing Puigdemont had gone to Denmark "to provokethis arrest abroad" as part of a strategy to boost hisarguments in favour of being allowed to be sworn in aspresident of Catalonia again.
Puigdemont wants to be sworn in from Belgium, where hefled in late October after the Catalan parliament declaredunilateral independence, sparking shock waves across an EUalready shaken by Britain's vote to leave.
Madrid sacked Puigdemont and his entire government, andit dissolved the parliament following the declaration.
Charged with rebellion, sedition and misuse of publicfunds, Puigdemont now faces arrest if he returns to Spain overhis role in the independence drive.
"Fundamental freedoms have been undermined,democratically elected politicians have been sent to prisonand treated like terrorists," he told students in Copenhagen,describing the moves as acts of "revenge". (AFP)MRJ.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.