MADRID — Ousted Catalan president Carles Puigdemont on Monday contrasted his freedom in Belgium with the jailing of other Catalan nationalists in Spain, in his first online comment since being released from custody while he fights extradition to Spain for allegedly plotting a rebellion. “Free and without bail,” Puigdemont posted Monday on his Twitter account. The five fled to Belgium after Spanish authorities fired them on Oct. 28 for seeking secession for Catalonia. The leader of the biggest Belgian government party agreed with Puigdemont’s sentiments on Spain’s response, and especially that of its Popular Party conservative government, to the independence bid by Catalonia’s political leaders. N-VA leader Bart De Wever drew a comparison with the days of dictator Francisco Franco half a century ago.

Source: National Post November 06, 2017 09:56 UTC