President of the European Alliance group in the Committee of the Regions Mr Karl Vanlouwe said the jailing of democratically elected politicians in Spain was politically motivated and unacceptable in a European Union which prides itself on democracy and freedom of speech.

It is now clear that the Catalan crisis is a European issue and no longer an internal Spanish issue.  Mr Vanlouwe who is also a member of the Flemish Parliament said:  I call on the European Institutions to condemn the latest attempt by the Spanish Government and Courts to supress Catalan Political rights.  All democrats should stand united against the jailing of democratically elected leaders.  The EU cannot ignore these developments in Spain.