The European Union's top court has issued a ruling that allows Spain to make another attempt to seek the extradition of a former Catalan separatist politician living in Brussels.

Former Catalan government member Meritxell Serret handed herself into Spain's Supreme Court on Thursday March 11, 2021, three years after she fled to Belgium. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys, File)BARCELONA – Former Catalan government member Meritxell Serret handed herself into Spain’s Supreme Court on Thursday, three years after she fled to Belgium along with other associates who led Catalonia’s failed secession attempt. When Puigdemont fled Spain in October 2017 he was accompanied by Serret and six other members of the Catalan regional government, which was disbanded by Spain’s central authorities when their independence bid collapsed. She said that she intended to take the seat in the Catalan regional legislature she won in an election earlier this year. Puigdemont refused to return to Spain on claims that he could not get a fair trial.

Nine Catalan independence leaders have received lengthy prison sentences of between nine and 13 years for their part in a failed 2017 attempt to split from Spain, but were acquitted of the most serious charge against them. Three other defendants were found guilty of disobedience, fined and banned from public office for 20 months. He was handed 13 years in prison and banned from holding public office for 13 years after being found guilty of sedition and misuse of public funds. Prime Minister Sanchez told reporters that the Spanish government had "absolute respect for and adherence to" the Supreme Court's ruling. Three others -- Santiago Vila, Meritxell Borras and Carles Mundo -- were found guilty of disobedience, fined and banned from public office for 20 months.