Spain’s state prosecutor has asked a judge to issue a European arrest warrant for the deposed Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and four of his former regional ministers after they failed to return from Belgium to testify in court, The Guardian reported.

Puigdemont, who is in Brussels, had been summoned to attend Spain’s national court to give evidence on Thursday and Friday.

He and 13 other members of his ousted administration could be charged with rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds over the Catalan parliament’s decision to declare regional independence last week.

Earlier on Thursday, Puigdemont’s lawyer said that although his client would cooperate with the courts, he intended to remain in Brussels.