Scotland to fight extradition of Catalunya minister Clara Ponsatí
Thursday, November 7, 2019 @ 10:25 PM
SCOTTISH authorities have 'refused' to extradite Dr Clara Ponsatí over her role in the Catalunya independence procedures after receiving a translated European Arrest Warrant (EAW) today, according to Spain's interior ministry, although The National Scot reports that it has not given an outright 'no', merely sought 'clarity'.
Following the Supreme Court's verdict over the disputed referendum of October 1, 2017, which has led to prison sentences of between nine and 13 years for the regional politicians behind the move – and mass protests in the streets of Catalunya's main cities – a EAW against its exiled cabinet has been resuscitated after twice having been cancelled.
Belgian authorities have been ordered to extradite the regional leader at the time, Carles Puigdemont, who has been living in Waterloo for the past two years, and an order has been received to do likewise with Dr Ponsatí, who initially fled to Belgium with Puigdemont and three other regional ministers but then moved on to Edinburgh.
Before becoming regional politician – minister for education – in Catalunya, a role she held for barely a year, Clara had been head of studies and professor of economics at the prestigious St Andrews' University, whose alumni include Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com