Spanish PM, Catalan separatist leader meet to relaunch talks

FILE PHOTO: Catalan leaders Oriol Junqueras, Joaquim Forn, Josep Rull, Raul Romeva, Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart gesture in front of the Lledoners prison after the Spanish government announced a pardon for those who participated in Catalonia's failed 2017 independence bid, Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, near Barcelona, Spain, June 23, 2021. REUTERS/Albert Gea

Spainish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will meet Catalonia's new pro-independence regional head on Tuesday for the first time as the central government seeks to improve ties after pardoning nine jailed separatist leaders.

The two are likely to discuss a date to resume negotiations on the region's political conflict.

FILE PHOTO: Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez addresses the media as he arrives on the first day of the European Union summit at The European Council Building in Brussels, Belgium June 24, 2021. John Thys/Pool via REUTERS

Catalan head of government Pere Aragones, who took office last month, has said his main requests at the meeting in Madrid will be an official referendum on independence and an amnesty for the more than 3,000 separatists under legal investigation.

Sanchez, who opposes independence, has ruled out both demands.

An unauthorised referendum on a breakaway in 2017 led to a short-lived declaration of independence and Spain's worst political crisis in decades. Separatist leaders were convicted to lengthy prison terms on a variety of charges.

Sanchez pardoned them last week in what he said was a goodwill gesture to kickstart negotiations on the Catalan issue.

However, Spain's Court of Auditors is requesting the return of about 5.4 million euros from 40 former Catalan officials due to their alleged role in promoting Catalonia's independence bid abroad, including some pardoned leaders, according to a report published by several newspapers on Tuesday.

The court has not issued any ruling on the potential misuse of public funds by them but its interim request implies that they need to deposit the demanded amount, according to the reports. If they could not do so, their assets would be seized.

A court spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.

The court requested 1.9 million euros from Oriol Junqueras, the most prominent of the freed politicians for his role as Catalonia's deputy leader until 2017, according to the reports.

Junqueras, the chairman of Aragones' party Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, told Reuters on Monday that the court is politicised and that its investigation shows "the end of the repression is very far away".

It said it was essential to approve an amnesty related to the 2017 events.

The court also requested 1.9 million euros from former Catalan head Carles Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium after the independence declaration.

(Reporting by Joan Faus, editing by Robin Emmott and Angus MacSwan)