Spanish Court suspends Catalan independence declaration

The Spanish Constitutional Court decided Tuesday to temporarily suspend the declaration of independence voted for by the Catalan Parliament on Friday.

The decision was in response to an appeal against the vote made by the Spanish government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.

The court's decision means the independence declaration is without any legal effect in the Catalan region.

The Catalan Parliament was dissolved by Rajoy on Friday after the Spanish Senate agreed earlier on Friday to apply Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution to temporarily suspend the region's autonomy.

New elections have been called for the region and will take place on Dec. 21.

Meanwhile, the former speaker of the Catalan Parliament, Carme Forcadell, and five other former members of the Bureau of Parliament must appear in the Spanish High Court on Nov. 2 and 3 for questioning over charges of rebellion, sedition, and the misuse of funds placed against them by the Spanish State Prosecutor's office on Monday.

Speaking from Brussels on Tuesday, former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, who also faces the same charges, said he would not seek political asylum in Belgium. However, he said he would not return to Spain for "security" reasons, but added that "if a fair trial and the separation of powers could be guaranteed, I would return immediately," he said.