Borrell’s debut as head of the European diplomacy: criticism on Belgium

The current High Representative of the European Union, Josep Borrell, says he is not surprised by the situation in Belgium with Catalan exiled president Carles Puigdemont, drawing a parallel with an ETA member who has not been extradited to Spain and is “living happily” in this country.

EU's new HRVP, Josep #Borrell, forgets he isn't #Spain's FM anymore and reacts to the postponement of #Catalan exiles' EAW hearing in #Belgium by talking of #Flanders and exiled ETA member, Natividad Jáuregui, not extradited to Spain over fears of HR abuses.

Leopard. Spots. pic.twitter.com/LoNNod4xSy

— barbaryfigs (@milfordedge) December 16, 2019

‘If the judicial authorities of Flanders have not paid attention to the European arrest warrant of a well-known ETA member with alleged blood crimes and she lives happily in Belgium  because the judges have not considered it appropriate that she is judged in Spain, if this has happened for years, it should come as no surprise to us that other things happen”, stated Borrell, who is also Vice-President of the European Commission and former Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister.

Borrell’s statement comes after the extradition hearing  in Belgium of Catalan exiled president Puigdemont and two of his former ministers was again delayed. On Monday, a Brussels court accepted the defense’s request of postponing it until February 3, once the EU court has ruled on the immunity of former vice president Oriol Junqueras after he was elected MEP in the last European elections.

Previous admonishment

In a press conference with Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Borrell told  that despite his lack of knowledge of European arrest warrants and his role as High Representative, it was clear to him that this tool can be improved: “Of course, it can and must be improved, and in my opinion there must be more cooperation between the judicial authorities of each country”.

In November, when he was still a Spanish FA Minister, Borrell leaked confidential information about the arrest warrant of Catalan exiled minister Clara Ponsatí, which earned him an admonishment by the European Commission.