The Catalan Council for the Republic plans to hold a rally in Northern Catalonia in the near future at which Carles Puigdemont and Toni Comín will be present. "This will undoubtedly be the best occasion on which to celebrate all the judicial and political victories that the Catalan independence movement has achieved in recent times," said the Brussels-based Catalan exile body, which described as a "resounding and unquestionable victory" the EU court decision on December 19th, which recognizes the status as MEPs of Puigdemont, Comín and Junqueras. It is because of their new status that a visit to Northern Catalonia - the Catalan-speaking territory which is part of the French state - is now contemplated.

In parallel, the Council for the Republic says that it will not promote any event on January 13th in Strasbourg to coincide with the European Parliament's first plenary session of the year, but will join in with events that may be organized by civil society "by people exercising their free initiative".

"These acts will be attended by members of our governing council who are invited to participate (understanding that MEPs can only attend at times when the parliamentary session is not taking place), always with gratitude and recognition of the determinant and essential role of citizen mobilization in the peaceful struggle for the Catalan Republic," said the Council in a statement.

13th January: Strasbourg

A week ago, promoters of the massive pro-independence rally held in Strasbourg last July 2nd called for a return to the French city on January 13th, to accompany Puigdemont and Comín at their first plenary session, and to call for Junqueras to be released to take up his post as an MEP.

"Compared with July 2nd, the circumstances are now different," said the Council's statement. "If at that time it was legitimate to express before the European institutions the demand of almost two million voters who had been mistreated, the situation now is that the decision of the European institutions has been made in the way that was hoped for," said the exile body, which only regrets that the Spanish institutions, the Supreme Court and the electoral commission have "continued to violate the political rights and immunity" of Junqueras.

"It is before the Spanish institutions that justice must now be demanded," concluded the Council for the Republic.