Pro-independence figures praise Puigdemont's role in 2017 referendum after EGC ruling

The European Court of Justice dismissed all appeals by former Catalan president and pro-independence Junts MEP Carles Puigdemont regarding his parliamentary immunity, thus stripping him, Toni Comín, and Clara Ponsatí of any parliamentary privileges.

While unionists celebrated the news and Puigdemont confirmed his intention to appeal to a higher court but not return to Catalonia for the moment, pro-independence figures backed the MEP's role in Catalonia's independence push.

Current president Pere Aragonès wrote of his "support from myself and the Catalan government" to the MEPs on Twitter. 

"To fight repression, we continue to defend that organizing a referendum is not a crime, but rather a democratic right of all citizens," he added.

On a similar note, the Catalan foreign minister addressed media outlets in Brussels.

"All our trust that the European justice system and international courts will provide answers to the ongoing systematic rights violations from Spain suffered by pro-independence leaders," she said.

Oriol Junqueras, leader of ERC and Puigdemont's vice president in 2017, tweeted his "regret" over the ECG "not defending the MEPs in exile before a political decision to persecute the independence camp."

"The court confirms a request that no longer makes sense because it is based on a crime, sedition, which no longer exists," Junqueras added. 

MEP for pro-independence ERC, Diana Riba, hopes a vote on their immunity is not repeated, as 40% of the members of the European Parlament declined the procedure as it was "completely politized." 

Similarly, the Junts candidate in the July 23 Spanish election, Míriam Nogueras, took to social media to praise Puigdemont's work during the self-determination vote.

"If not because of you, president, because of your strength, and your desire to win, no one would be talking about October 1 today (referring to the independence vote), and thus no one would remember that Catalonia is a territory that never gives up," she wrote.

Pro-independence party CUP also showed their support for Puigdemont, Ponsatí, and Comín through Twitter. In their post, the party mentioned that "the only solution is amnesty and self-determination, therefore the fight is still on."

Pro-independence civic organizations "regret" the EGC decision but hope for the European Court of Justice to reverse the situation.

Dolors Feliu, president of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC), added that "if Europe wants to lead in democracy, it has to protect the basic rights of MEPs representing citizens."