Editorial, 16 February 2022
The first secretary of the PSC, Salvador Illa, has presented the president of the Catalan Government, Pere Aragonès, with 43 “proposals for the country’s agenda”, which include measures aimed at ensuring prosperity for all citizens, guaranteeing fair funding and improving Catalonia’s self-government. The leader of the opposition has conveyed these proposals to Aragonès in a meeting this Wednesday at the Generalitat, in a document that seeks to force a “change of course” in Catalonia.
Among these 43 points, the Socialist leader includes a National Pact for Language and “linguistic coexistence to protect, encourage and increase the use of the Catalan language and at the same time preserve the richness offered by the fact that we are a multilingual society”.
He is also in favour of promoting a Catalan electoral law, as well as a law on local government and financing, considering that “the principle of mutual trust broken with local administrations must be restored, and the Government must act with loyalty and transparency” through this new law.
Illa proposes a reform of the administration of the Generalitat and the public sector; “re-establishing the public service mission of the media” of the Catalan Audiovisual Media Corporation (CCMA); promoting the modernisation of justice; and promoting a comprehensive law on historical memory in Catalonia.
He also included in the document the need to draw up a plan to tackle home occupations, as well as to work across the board to guarantee security in Catalan neighbourhoods, towns and cities.
Illa advocates opening the debate on improvements to the funding model and moving towards a consensus on proposals, in order to “eventually tackle the negotiation of the review of the regional funding system”, and proposes promoting a tax reform that is committed to green taxation and the fight against tax fraud.
On the other hand, the Socialist leader is committed to transforming Barcelona-El Prat Airport into a “true international hub”, and stresses that this must be done on the basis of environmental protection. He also expresses his support for the Winter Olympic Games candidacy, seeing them as an opportunity to showcase the region’s strengths.
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