Ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont attends the launch of a campaign for political platform "Junts per Catalunya" ahead of the December 21, 2017 Catalan regional election, in Oostkamp, Belgium, November 25, 2017. REUTERS/Yves Herman

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A Belgian judge will decide on the exercising of a European arrest warrant for ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont on Dec. 14, his lawyers said on Monday.

Puigdemont and four of his ministers left Spain after his regional government was sacked by Madrid for unilaterally declaring Catalonia independent following a referendum on secession that court authorities in Madrid had ruled was illegal.

They face an arrest warrant from Spain with charges of rebellion and sedition.

Paul Bekaert, one of Puigdemont’s lawyers, said a decision on the execution of the arrest warrant would be made on Dec. 14.

A Brussels court last month spared Puigdemont custody but ruled he could not leave Belgium without a judge’s consent.