Selasa 31 Oct 2017 21:40 WIB

Puigdemont says "long road" to independence

Red: Reiny Dwinanda
Declaration of Independence of the Catalts signed by members of the Catalan regional government at the Catalonia parliament building in Barcelona, ​​Spain.
Foto: Albert Gea/Reuters
Declaration of Independence of the Catalts signed by members of the Catalan regional government at the Catalonia parliament building in Barcelona, ​​Spain.

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BRUSSELS/MADRID -- Catalonia's ousted leader Carles Puigdemont said on Tuesday he accepted the snap election called by Spain's central government after Madrid took control of the region to block its push for independence.

Puigdemont, speaking at a news conference in Brussels, also said he was not seeking asylum in Belgium after Spain's state prosecutor recommended charges for rebellion and sedition be brought against him. He would return to Catalonia when given "guarantees" by the Spanish government, he said.

Puigdemont's announcement that he would accept the regional election on Dec. 21 confirmed that the Madrid government had gained the upper hand in the protracted struggle over Catalonia, for now at least.

Resistance to Madrid's imposition of direct control on Catalonia failed to materialise at the start of the week and the secessionist leadership is in disarray.