The Catalan president in exile, Carles Puigdemont, and former minister Toni Comín arrived at the European Parliament in Strasbourg at 1:45pm this Monday. It's over six months since 2nd July and the constitution of the new legislature, when they couldn't risk crossing the French border. Waiting for them within the chamber were Catalan president Quim Torra and the speaker of the Catalan Parliament, Roger Torrent, at the head of a large political delegation. Outside, hundreds of members of the public had been waiting since mid-morning.
Puigdemont and Comín travelled directly from Waterloo, in two cars. They took advantage of the journey to work. They only made one step for petrol, making first for a hotel close to the chamber where a number of colleagues were waiting for them.
Within the building, amid a swarm of cameras, Puigdemont warned that the European Parliament cannot look away from the political conflict in Catalonia.
The president told El Nacional, in an exclusive interview before entering the chamber, that he felt "happy and satisfied" and that today demonstrates that exile was the "correct path to get victories". "To remain, to resist, to face them, to not give in even one millimetre, to confront the difficulties and, when there are opportunities, take advantage of them. Today is an opportunity and we want to take advantage of it," he said.
Puigdemont noted that today marks exactly four years since he became president of Catalonia, the length of a legislature in the Catalan Parliament. He said he knows what he'll do in political terms as an MEP, that they've known it "clearly from the moment we stood for election". This will include bringing the issue of Catalonia into the heart of Europe, "help to improve European democracy and the strength of its fundamental values, which include the right to self-determination".
He knows that the path ahead won't be easy. On the issue of the request from a Spanish judge to suspend his immunity, he notes that even if it's accepted, they will remain MEPs. "We're prepared to fight this battle," he said.