World Bulletin / News Desk

Catalonia's former president Carles Puigdemont foiled attempts by Finnish police to arrest him under a European arrest warrant, after his lawyer confirmed on Saturday he had left the country.

Tensions are running high in Catalonia and separatist parties have abandoned plans to name a new president following the arrest of the latest candidate.

"I confirm that President Puigdemont is no longer in Finland," his lawyer Jaume Alonso Cuevillas tweeted Saturday, without stating where the former leader was.

Finnish MP Mikko Karna, one of the ousted leader's hosts in Finland, also said he had "received information that Charles Puigdemont departed from Finland yesterday evening by unknown means to Belgium," in a statement posted on Twitter on Saturday.

"Puigdemont confirmed to me today that in Belgium he will fully cooperate with authorities," Karna wrote, after earlier telling media that he had not been in touch with him since Friday.

Puigdemont is wanted by Spain on charges of "rebellion" and "sedition".

Spain on Friday also issued international arrest warrants for five other separatists, including four former ministers who are also in self-imposed exile in Belgium.