Deposed Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont on Tuesday slammed the European Union for backing what he termed Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's "coup d'etat".

"Will you accept the result of the Catalan referendum or will you continue to help Mr Rajoy in his coup d'etat?" Puigdemont, whose government declared independence from Spain last month and was then dismissed by Madrid, said in Belgium, where he had fled from Spain.

source: AFP