Unionists celebrate Puigdemont losing immunity after EU Court 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 privileges.

While Puigdemont has already announced his intention to appeal the decision, politicians in favor of Catalonia remaining in Spain celebrated the European ruling.

The politicians are MEPs "just to escape the Spanish judicial system," Ciudadanos spokesperson Carlos Carrizosa wrote on Twitter. 

"Years after, the European justice system has broken their plans, and although they will be able to extend their stay abroad for some months, these politicians will be tried for their crimes in Spain," he added.

"I am celebrating the decision," Carrizosa published.

On a similar note, Adrián Vázquez of unionist party Ciudadanos and chair of the European Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee responsible for managing the request to lift the immunity, welcomed the news.

"I respect the sentence issued by the EU Court of Justice. I celebrate, furthermore, that such sentence back the works and good name of the European Parliament and the immunity process carried out by the Committee of Legal Affairs of the EU Parliament," Vázquez wrote on Twitter.

And he also said that the "EGC ruling confirms something which we already knew. The immunity process in the European Parliament has been impeccable and comes with all guarantees."

Spanish government: satisfied

The Spanish government also celebrated the decision from the ECJ. The executive showed their "satisfaction" after a ruling that "ratifies the cabinet's position," which has always said that Puigdemont and the other politicians "have to appear in Spain's courts," spokesperson Isabel Rodríguez said.

The ruling, for her, confirms the European Parliament's decision.

The referendum took place in 2017 when the Conservative People's Party group was in charge, something which Rodríguez also pointed out.

"Fortunately, the situation has changed a lot since then thanks to the action that Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez has made in setting Catalonia's coexistence a priority," she concluded.

Spanish justice minister Pilar Llop also expressed "satisfaction" at the decision, saying that the court ruling was a "resounding endorsement" of Spanish institutions. 

"Puigdemont must now present himself before the Spanish courts," she added. "That is his obligation as a Spanish citizen."

On the other hand, the Socialists in Catalonia showed the "utmost respect" for the decision, as spokesperson Alícia Romero tweeted.

The time has come to "look forward and continue working for dialogue and the will to move ahead."

Further away from dialogue, Catalonia's People's Party spokesperson Alejandro Fernández ironically tweeted as if he was talking from a pro-independence point of view.

"Yesterday, Europe will save us from this fascist Spain! Today, Europe is fascist!"