European parliament will examine immunity of exiled independence leaders 'with great serenity'

The president of the European parliament has said that the investigation into the immunity of exiled Catalan independence leaders will proceed "with great serenity."

In an interview with Catalan broadcaster TV3 on Wednesday, David Sassoli explained that the procedure involving MEPs Carles Puigdemont, Toni Comín and Clara Ponsatí has "just begun."

Sassoli said it was up to the parliament's legal affairs committee to decide on its timetable, and therefore he wouldn't be drawn on when the chamber might vote on whether or not to lift the immunity of the Junts per Catalunya MEPs. 

In January, the European parliament said it received an appeal from Spain's Supreme Court requesting that the chamber waive the parliamentary immunity of Puigdemont and Comín.

Following procedure, the chamber bureau forwarded the case to the parliament's legal affairs committee to consider.

Clara Ponsatí was recognised as an MEP following the UK’s exit from the EU in January, 2020, and had her European arrest warrant suspended by Scottish judges until the European Parliament votes on the extent of her immunity.