Puigdemont after seven years in exile: I'm coming home, only a coup can stop me

(Patria) - Former Catalan premier Carles Puigdemont, who has been in exile in Belgium for seven years, announced yesterday that he could return to Spain next month despite the prospect of arrest.

Next month, the Catalan parliament in Barcelona is expected to vote on a new regional government after the inconclusive elections held in May.

- It is my duty to go to parliament for the debate on the election of a new government - said Puigdemont, leader of the Together for Catalonia (PxCAT) party, which came third in the elections.

- I need to be there, and only a coup can stop me - Puigdemont said at a rally of his party held in the town of Els Banys i Palaldà in southern France.

Puigdemont also ran his election campaign in the French part of Catalonia because across the border he faced arrest for organising a banned referendum on secession from Spain in 2017.

- There will be no more campaigns in exile - he stated.

Two months ago, the Spanish parliament, at the proposal of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, adopted an amnesty law suspending judicial and administrative proceedings against several hundred Catalans who organised that referendum.

However, the Supreme Court ruled a month ago that Puigdemont would not be covered by the amnesty due to "the crime of misappropriation of public funds".

In Spain, Puigdemont is accused of using public money to promote the independence of the autonomous region in the northeast with 7.5 million inhabitants.

The court stated in its reasoning that he "particularly benefited from that money", along with two other former officials to whom the court also denies amnesty.

- Certain judges do not accept the law adopted in parliament, thereby carrying out a coup - Puigdemont said before about 2,200 gathered supporters who chanted "president", "independence" and "freedom for Catalonia".

He called on Prime Minister Sanchez not to allow his "illegal arrest" when he crosses the Spanish border and enters Catalonia.

Sanchez, whose minority government depends on the support of independence advocates in the Spanish parliament, supported the amnesty to "restore coexistence" and to form a government in Spain.

Sanchez's Socialist party then also won the most votes in the snap elections in Catalonia.

However, it will only form a government there if it gains the support of the second-placed Catalan Republican Left (ERC), which also advocates independence and is currently in power in Catalonia.

In return, the ERC demands from Sanchez autonomy for Catalonia in terms of introducing and collecting taxes.

Puigdemont's Together for Catalonia party said it would fight in parliament against the election of Sanchez's candidate Salvador Illa as premier of Catalonia.

- Catalonia must leave the prison of Spain - Puigdemont stated.

Catalonia must have a new premier by August 26 or residents will go to new elections in October.