Ousted Catalan leader summoned to court from Brussels exile

Bloomberg

Ousted Catalan President Carles Puigdemont was summoned to a Spanish court on suspicion of sedition, forcing the rebel leader to choose between a possible 30-year jail term and life as a leader in exile.
Puigdemont fled to Brussels after Spain seized control of his semi-autonomous government in response to Catalonia’s declaration of independence. While members of his team who are also due in court returned to Barcelona airport late on Tuesday, Puigdemont wasn’t with them.
Earlier in the day, the rebel leader, who had long said he would risk jail for his cause, told reporters in Brussels he wouldn’t go back to Spain without “guarantees” of a
fair trial. The politicized Spanish courts are bent on revenge, he said, as he depicted himself as a leader in exile.
Puigdemont and his former team are summoned to appear on Thursday and Friday at the National Court, which is investigating them for sedition, rebellion and misuse of funds. The charges carry jail terms of up to 30 years, and the court demanded 6.2 million euros ($7.2 million) as a surety for the group. If they don’t pay, their assets will be frozen.

EU BID
Puigdemont said he chose Brussels as his destination as he wanted to press the European Union to get involved in the conflict. But his efforts were rebuffed as the bloc reiterated his stance that the matter was an internal one for Spain.
Back in Barcelona, splits in the pro-independence camp were becoming clear as more moderate voices grew louder. A regional election called for Dec. 21 will decide on the makeup of the next Catalan parliament, and also the road ahead for the region that is Spain’s economic powerhouse. More than 1,000 companies left Catalonia during the standoff and most will take their time to consider moving back.
While Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s success in taming the rebellion has bolstered his standing, Catalonia remains deeply divided. A poll showed on Tuesday 40 percent back independence, up from 35 percent in June. While that’s below the peak of 49 percent seen in 2013, another survey showed 76 percent of Catalans want to be able to take part in an official referendum. The makeshift ballot on Oct. 1 was not only illegal but lacked proper controls and was boycotted by many.