“I am a member of parliament who is perfectly eligible as president,” Puigdemont told Catalunya Radio. “These days many big projects are handled with the use of new technologies.” Referring to the charges against him, he added: “You can’t rule from prison.” "There are only two options: in prison I would not be able to address people, write, meet people," Puigdemont, who risks arrest on charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds if he returns to Spain.The only way is to continue doing it freely and safely." "Nowadays big business, academic and research projects are essentially managed using new technology,"
Puigdemont’s administration was dismissed by the central government in Madrid after he spearheaded a drive for the northeastern region, which is already semi-autonomous, to split from Spain that culminated in a unilateral declaration of independence in October. He regained his seat in the Catalan parliament in a Dec. 21 election that was called by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy in the hope that pro-unity parties would win and resolve Spain’s worst political crisis in decades. That ploy backfired, with parties in favor of a split gaining a slim majority. "We have a plan to restore democracy, the institutions and policies," Catalan President said. "The result of these elections validate our government program."
The new Catalan parliament met for the first time on Wednesday and picked a pro independence politician as speaker, signaling Puigdemont’s possible return. The appointment of Roger Torrent to the role ended a relative lull in the crisis since the election in December.
The Catalan parliamentary committee, which has a pro-independence majority, must decide by Jan. 31 if it will allow presidential candidates to act remotely.
A first vote to choose a new leader is likely on Jan. 31, and Catalonia’s two main pro-independence parties have said they back Puigdemont.
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