A lawyer for dismissed Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, who is due to appear in a Spanish court this week to answer charges relating to Catalonia's push for independence, has said that his client will not adhere to a summons to appear before a Madrid court at a hearing due to start tomorrow.
If Mr Puigdemont fails to appear before the court, an arrest warrant could be issued that would in turn prevent him from standing in the snap regional election called by the Spanish government for 21 December.
Mr Puigdemont and his government were sacked on Friday by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy hours after passing a unilateral declaration of independence from Spain through the regional parliament.
The independence vote was boycotted by opponents of succession and considered illegal by Spanish courts.
On Monday, Spain's state prosecutor accused Mr Puigdemont of rebellion and sedition for organising the independence referendum held on 1 October.
Mr Puigdemont travelled to Belgium at the weekend with other members of the dismissed Catalan administration and hired a lawyer.
Although he appeared at a news conference in Brussels yesterday, his plans and next movements were unclear.
"He has not told me but as the situation now stands, I don't see him going back to Spain in the coming weeks," Mr Puigdemont’s lawyer Paul Bekaert told Belgian state broadcaster VTM last night.
Spain's High Court has summoned Mr Puigdemont and 13 other former members of the Catalan government to testify in Madrid tomorrow and Friday on charges of rebellion, sedition and breach of trust.
A judge will then decide whether those called to testify should go to jail pending an investigation that could take up to several years and a potential trial.
Key events in the Catalan independence crisis
Three former Catalan government advisors returned to Spain from Belgium last night and were greeted at Barcelona's international airport by crowds chanting "off to prison".
Mr Puigdemont and three others were not among those returning to Spain.
He said yesterday he would only go back to Spain when given unspecified "guarantees" by the Spanish government.
Prosecutors have asked the courts to order the Catalan secessionist leaders to deposit €6.2m to cover potential liabilities.
However, if Mr Puigdemont and his associates do not turn up this could change and, if considered a flight risk, they could be jailed pending trial.
Attention in the crisis over Catalonia is now turning to the December election, called by Mr Rajoy when Madrid took over control of the autonomous region.
Mr Puigdemont said he accepted the election and the Spanish government has said he was welcome to stand, even though the legal issue could prevent that.
