The president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, has stated that the government of the Community of Madrid, headed by Isabel Díaz Ayuso, has “a lot of face” because it claims to lower taxes, but it benefits from a capital effect and the prosperity of peripheral regions.
This was stated in an interview with El Nacional this Saturday when asked about the tax pressure in Catalonia with respect to Madrid or other territories.
In this sense, Illa has expressed that the Community of Madrid is not an exportable model: "You are not managing better; you are privatizing everything. You are benefiting from this effect. You are displacing the tax bases in Madrid and impoverishing the rest of the territories. This is not the model we want."
Regarding the general elections of November 29, Illa has said that his prediction is that there will continue to be a government headed by Pedro Sánchez due to the mobilization he sees in the citizens and because of what has happened recently in countries like Brazil, Israel or the United States, where the message has been that people want "peace, decency, public services, administrations that think about the entire citizenry and not about certain interest groups."
Regarding whether the resignation of the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, after the train accident in Urda (Toledo) leaves Sánchez without a firewall, he said that Puente has done what he felt he had to do and there has been no other consideration: "This ennobles politics. An emblematic phrase with which he ended: 'we are not all equal', his attitude reinforces it."
In relation to the possibility that Puente's warning about the operation of the Barcelona-Madrid AVE could cause fear of using this line, Illa has said that he is not worried, that there is now a reputational crisis with respect to high speed, because there have been two very relevant accidents in 10 months, but that the system is "safe", according to experts.
What needs to be done now, according to the president of the Generalitat, is to "invest deeply to update it", which is why he has asked that this be done, that above all security be preserved and that the service be as little affected as possible.
Regarding Sánchez, he said that he is a person who has experienced many episodes and that he has a high capacity for personal resilience, although on Monday, during his visit to Barcelona, he did not see it affected: "No one, no political leader, remains indifferent when they see first-hand a tragedy of this type."
Regarding investments in Catalonia during the last 8 years, Illa has said that there is a path of improvement, but that if you look at the figures in absolute numbers, they have grown because the economy as a whole has grown.
“We proposed a structural mechanism to resolve this issue, which is the Investment Consortium, which did not receive the support of Junts per Cataluña and we are looking for a formula to put it into practice”, a mechanism that guarantees that those investments financed by the State in Catalonia are executed by a consortium in which the Generalitat is present.
Regarding the possibility of a PP-Vox government, Illa has said that “this is a scenario that will not occur”, and regarding the formation led by Santiago Abascal, he has said that what he wants is to standardize Spain, eliminate the self-government of Catalonia and “Spanishize Catalonia”, and has criticized that Junts says that it is in the middle.
"In the middle of what? Here there are two options: either to continue progressing or a regression. How can you be on the side of parties that have demonstrated 15 times against the amnesty law? That have actively worked so that Catalan is not official? With PP and Vox, which say they want to eliminate self-government? How can you be flirting with parties that say they want to eliminate public media in Catalonia?", he lamented.
Regarding the resignation of his Chief of Staff, Eduard Rivas, due to an investigation into alleged irregular contracts in Esparreguera (Barcelona), where he was mayor, Illa has said that he is a person “of a very high human category” and that he has nothing but words of gratitude for the work he has done.
“Everything that has occurred has been explained very clearly, and he has also explained the reasons for the resignation and with a degree of self-demand on the part of Mr. Rivas regarding how he understands the development of his functions, which is commendable,” he noted, and has reiterated that not everyone is the same.
Asked about the actions of the Mossos last weekend to avoid new riots linked to the Blocus phenomenon, about which the CUP assures that searches were carried out due to racial profiling, Illa stressed that it was “impeccable” and has conveyed his support and recognition to the Catalan police force.
Regarding the riots on October 24 in Barcelona, which resulted in 130 arrests and several vandalized businesses, Illa has said that “whoever does it pays”, that they will come to know who is behind this and that, if they are minors, their parents will be held responsible.
Regarding whether he sees himself as a possible candidate to replace Sánchez at the head of the central government, Illa has said that the current president “still has a future in Spain, and quite a bit” and has predicted that on November 29 he will be president again.
"I am now very focused on Catalonia, I feel very honored to have this responsibility. This requires a lot of dedication, which I do with great pleasure, and my approach now is 100% in Catalonia," he concluded.
