BARCELONA: A Belgian government official says it would be “not unrealistic” for ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont to ask for asylum and warns it would create serious diplomatic difficulties with fellow European Union member state Spain.
Asylum State Secretary Theo Francken tweeted early Sunday that “it is possible to ask for asylum as an EU subject” in Belgium. Francken stressed that Belgium wasn’t seeking such a scenario, saying “I’m not rolling out the welcome mat.”
Francken added that if such a request would come in, “we’d enter a difficult diplomatic situation with the Spanish authorities. That is evident.”
There has been no indication that Puigdemont has requested asylum after Spain took control of Catalonia’s government and dismissed its leaders, including Puigdemont, after regional lawmakers voted to declare independence from Spain.
