HELSINKI: Catalonia’s for­mer president Carles Pui­g­­demont on Saturday appe­ared to have foiled attempts by Finnish police to arrest him under a European arrest warrant as an MP said he had already left the country.

Puigdemont, who lives in self-imposed exile in Belgium, had been visiting Finland since Thursday for talks with lawmakers.

Finnish MP Mikko Karna, one of the ousted leader’s hosts in Finland, said he had “received information that Carles Puigd­e­mont departed from Finland yesterday evening by un­­kn­own means to Belgium,” in a statement posted on Twitter on Saturday afternoon.

“Puigdemont confirmed to me today that in Belgium he will fully cooperate with authorities,” Karna wrote.

The lawmaker had told media earlier that he had not been in touch with Puigdemont since Friday.

Puigdemont is wanted by Spain on charges of “rebellion” and “sedition”.

Spain on Friday also issued international arrest warra­n­­ts for five other separatists, including four former ministers who are also in self-imposed exile in Belgium.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2018