The trip by Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and a number of his ministers to Brussels has this Monday sent Belgian politics reeling. The fact that the news comes the days after Belgian Immigration minister Theo Francken, showed himself open to conceding political asylum to Puigdemont, and the possibility of the president meeting with Flemish leaders, has put the country's politicians on alert.
Despite the Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA, New Flemish Alliance), a Flemish nationalist party, saying they had no meetings planned with the Catalan president, and that they hadn't invited him, opposition parties have asked for explanations from the country's prime minister, Charles Michel. Belgium is governed by a coalition of four parties, which includes N-VA.
Politicians took to Twitter to comment on the visit, like former prime minister and president of the Socialist Party, Elio Di Rupo.
1/2 Il est urgent que @Charlesmichel fournisse des explications sur la probable visite de la délégation Puigdemont à Bruxelles.
— Elio Di Rupo (@eliodirupo) 30 de octubre de 2017
Translation: It's urgent that Charles Michel provides explanations about the probable visit of the Puigdemont delegation to Brussels.
2/2 Il en va de la crédibilité internationale de la Belgique.
— Elio Di Rupo (@eliodirupo) 30 de octubre de 2017
Belgium's international credibility is at stake.
The former prime minister wasn't the only one to comment. Catherine Fonck, leader of the Humanist Democratic Centre was similarly negative.
#Francken savait dc que #Puigdemont allait demander l'asile. Et @CharlesMichel accepte de jouer ds la pièce de la #Nva? #gravissime. 1/2
— Catherine Fonck (@catherinefonck) 30 de octubre de 2017
Francken knew that Puigdemont was going to request asylum. And Charles Michel accepts to play along with N-VA? Very serious.
Le 1er Ministre doit mettre un halte-là.Ça suffit cette complicité avec les politiques indépendantistes catalans! #RespectDeLEtatDeDroit 2/2
— Catherine Fonck (@catherinefonck) 30 de octubre de 2017
The prime minister should put a stop to it. Enough of this complicity with pro-independence Catalan politicians! Respect the rule of law.
Ecolo, a French-speaking green party called on the Parliament's speaker to call Michel to give an explanation to the chamber, and their co-president, Zakia Khattabi, gave her own comment via Twitter.
Finalement #francken c'est le pompier pyromane... Il a fini par provoquer lui-même ce fameux appel d'air #puigdemont et ses 5 ministres...
— Zakia Khattabi (@ZakiaKhattabi) 30 de octubre de 2017
In the end Francken is the pyromaniac firefighter... He's ended up causing himself this notorious influx of Puigdemont and his 5 ministers...
In the face of the controversy, the Belgian government has avoided making any statements, keeping a low profile. Currently, Charles Michel's spokesperson has said that he will give no comment on Puigdemont's presence in Belgium, according to the political editor at Le Soir, Bernard Demonty.
Le porte-parole de Charles Michel sur la présence de Puigdemont à Bruxelles : "No comment".
— Bernard Demonty (@bdemonty) 30 de octubre de 2017
Charles Michel's spokesperson on Puigdemont's presence in Brussels: "No comment".
For their part, the N-VA denies that their party invited Puigdemont.
La N-VA nie que Puigdemont ait été invité à son initiative. "S'il est à Bruxelles, ce n'est certainement pas à notre invitation."
— Bernard Demonty (@bdemonty) 30 de octubre de 2017
N-VA denies that Puigdemont was invited on their initiative. "If he's in Brussels, it's certainly not at our invitation."
El portavoz de los nacionalistas flamencos N-VA, Bram Bombeek, sale a desmentir que Puigdemont esté en su sede: pic.twitter.com/IUhH97LwfD
— Ana Núñez-Milara (@a_nmilara) 30 de octubre de 2017
The spokesperson of the Flemish nationalists, N-VA, Bram Bombeek, comes out to refute that Puigdemont is in their headquarters.