Ex-Catalan president will not attend court summons says lawyer

CARLES PUIGDEMONT will not be attending his court summons in Madrid this week according to his lawyer.

Paul Bekaert said he has “proposed that they interrogate him in Belgium,” as has been the case in the past when he represented suspected ETA members.

He also said Puigdemont does not intend to return to Spain as there is a “high chance he will be arrested,” he will instead wait for the Spanish government’s response. “The cat will stay up the tree,” according to Bekaert.

According to reports the most likely outcome should the ex-Catalan president not appear in court tomorrow or Friday is a European arrest warrant being issued to bring him back to Spain.

Puigdemont is the only Catalan leader not to return from Brussels after giving a press conference in the capital of Europe.