Carles Puigdemont’s Belgian lawyer says he does not expect the ousted Catalan leader to return to Spain in the coming weeks, and certainly not for questioning by a Spanish national court judge on Thursday.<br /><br />Lawyer Paul Bekaert said his client “won’t go to Madrid.”<br /><br />Bekaert added that he would look into the possibility of Puigdemont being questioned in Belgium. <br /><br />Puigdemont appeared at a news conference in Brussels on Tuesday. <br /><br />A Catalan regional parliament vote in favour of independence last Friday led the Spanish government to trigger unprecedented constitutional measures to take control of Catalan affairs, firing the Catalan regional leadership.<br /><br />In his appearance Tuesday, Puigdemont said he and the five ousted regional Catalan government colleagues who accompanied him there were seeking “freedom and safety” from Spanish authorities.<br /><br />Ousted Catalonian cabinet official Joaquim Forn arrived at Barcelona-El Prat airport on Tuesday night where he was surrounded by media and unionist protesters shouting, singing and waving Spanish flags.<br /><br />Forn was the region’s interior minister until he and the rest of the cabinet were fired by the central government last week. <br /><br />Minister of Labour Social Affairs and Families Dolors Bassa also arrived back in Barcelona on Tuesday night.<br /><br />All 14 members of the sacked Catalan Cabinet are facing possible rebellion charges at home for driving a secessionist bid to a full declaration of independence. <br /><br />Spain’s chief prosecutor is seeking charges of rebellion, sedition and embezzlement against Puigdemont and his No. 2, Oriol Junqueras. <br /><br />Rebellion, sedition and embezzlement charges carry maximum sentences of 30, 15 and six years in prison.<br /><br />A judge has ordered them to appear for questioning on Thursday in Madrid.<br />
