Read in Catalan

Catalan president in exile Carles Puigdemont was one of the guests of the minister-president of Thuringia, Bodo Ramelow, at a midsummer celebration held by this central German land. Ramelow has been quite open in his desire to show support for the Catalan politician with this invitation.

"I consider that it is unacceptable that the [Catalan] ministers are in prison. I believe that it is unacceptable for those who were involved in the independence process to be punished with criminal sentences", said the leader of the Thuringia state to Catalan public television's correspondent in Berlin.

The Thuringia summer festival, celebrated in Berlin, is a shop window which brings the culture, businesses and gastronomy of this central German region to the country's capital. Also present at the celebration was the German justice minister, Katarina Barley, who had given backing to the decision made by the court of Schleswing-Holstein when the Catalan president was released from prison, after his initial arrest in Germany.

Translation: Meeting with @bodoramelow, president of the free German 'land' of Thuringia. — Carles Puigdemont

Ramelow announced some days ago that the Catalan president had accepted his invitation to this event. "Myself and, undoubtedly, many guests expect some interesting conversations", he said. The minister-president and the exiled Catalan leader appeared together in front of the cameras shortly after the event began.