Aleix Mercader, 9 September 2021
The president of Foment del Treball, Josep Sánchez Llibre, criticizes Catalan government for backing down with the expansion of El Prat / CEDIDA
Very harsh tone of Catalan business community against Catalan government. The president of Foment del Treball, main employers’ association, Josep Sánchez Llibre, has accused the Government of “leading Catalonia to economic ruin” for its misgivings against the expansion of the third runway at El Prat airport.
One day after the Government announced the suspension of airport investment, the business representative expressed his “perplexity” and “outrage” at the attitude of the Catalan Executive. “Entrepreneurs will not be standing in front of so much irresponsibility that it can lead us to the impoverishment of the country and to the ruin of many small and medium-sized companies, families and the self-employed,” he said.
“The Government has not been up to the task”
In turn, Foment recalled that the expansion project approved in August “incorporated all the environmental actions” required by the European Union in La Ricarda, a privately owned protected area that borders the facilities.
Hence, the organization has branded the open debate on this natural setting as “grave irresponsibility”. “The Government has not been up to the task nor has it acted with the prudence and diligence that should preside over the actions of a serious and solvent government,” said Sánchez Llibre.
“It is necessary to give seamless support to the project,” he demanded. The employer’s association has also criticized the open schism between ERC and Junts per Catalunya regarding the actions provided for in DORA II, the technical document prepared by AENA.
Disloyalty of Podemos
“We ask that the Government resolve their differences privately. So much frivolity is shown in the contradictory statements between the different regional ministers.” “We also denounce the lack of internal cohesion of the coalition that governs Spain. The visit of the Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, together with the mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, is intolerable and dynamite the pact between her Government and the Government” .
Resume the dialogue
To avoid “international ridicule”, Sánchez Llibre has demanded that the political leaders return to the negotiating table to resume the dialogue and ensure the widening of the third track of El Prat. “We will do everything in our power to stop so much negligence on the part of the Barcelona City Council and the Generalitat. We will not be standing still,” he warned. “We ask that a dialogue be reopened to re-approve the investment in the airport. Catalonia needs this investment to create wealth and jobs, which according to studies would be around 350,000 both direct and indirect.”
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