"It is a shame for Europe to have political prisoners," Puigdemont stated, adding that he had always been assured that European justice was committed to human rights and the separation of powers.
After the Catalan Independence Referendum in October 2017, Carles Puigdemont fled to Belgium to avoid arrest, while several ministers of the former Catalan government were detained. On his way to Belgium, he left Waterloo to travel to Switzerland. There he has spent several days, participated in conferences and held meetings, after which he flew to Finland on March 22. But it turned out that Finland had already received an arrest order with Puigdemont's name on it.
READ MORE: Ex-Catalan Leader Puigdemont Leaves German Prison After Paying Bail (VIDEO)
The ex-president of Catalonia was detained in Germany on a European arrest warrant issued by Spain on March 25 when he crossed the border with Denmark.
In April, the court of the German federal state Schleswig-Holstein decreed the release of former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont, charged with organizing an insurrection and embezzling state funds, on bail for a sum of 75,000 euro (about $92,000) for the duration of the extradition hearings.
Ex-Catalan leader Puigdemont hopes to return to live in Belgium, as told reporters in Berlin.
"My wish is to return to Belgium. But only after the end of the proceedings here in Germany, not before. My plan is to remain of course in Berlin. It is my residence now until the end of this process," he said.
Press conference by Catalonia’s president Carles Puigdemont, Saturday April 7th, 12h, Skalitzer Str. 6, 10999 Berlin pic.twitter.com/03iKqeF75n
— Carles Puigdemont 🎗 (@KRLS) 7 апреля 2018 г.
— Anna Caula (@anna_caula) 7 апреля 2018 г.
