A decisive step for Catalan self-government
In a historic day, the Government of Spain and the Generalitat of Catalonia have made a significant push for Catalan self-government. This Wednesday, a crucial meeting was held aimed at consolidating the agreements reached between president Salvador Illa and ERC leader Oriol Junqueras regarding the Catalan budgets. The institutional summit, which took place at the Ministry of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, gathered senior officials from both administrations to translate political commitments into concrete actions.
One of the most notable achievements of the meeting was the unlocking of the funding necessary to increase the workforce of the Mossos d’Esquadra. This police force is expected to reach 25,000 agents by 2030, representing a significant increase from the current 22,000. The State commits to annually transferring resources at an initial cost of 70,600 euros per agent, a figure that will be adjusted according to the CPI.
Aside from the security boost, the historical shortcomings in state investments in Catalonia were addressed. A parity consortium will be created between the State and the Generalitat to manage these investments, especially in railway projects such as the new Orbital Railway Line. This transversal corridor will connect key cities without the need to pass through Barcelona, thus improving metropolitan mobility.
Another relevant agreement was the new distribution of the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona. The Generalitat will increase its participation to 40%, while the State will maintain 45% and the City Council will keep 15%. This reconfiguration will allow the Generalitat to have greater influence over one of the main industrial engines of the metropolitan area.
In linguistic terms, it was agreed to progressively extend the use of Catalan within the General State Administration. Additionally, a subcommittee dedicated to European Affairs was activated with the aim of strengthening Catalan presence in Brussels.
At the administrative level, a pilot project will be implemented to simplify procedures through a shared window between administrations, starting with processes related to family deaths.
As these agreements move towards effective implementation, both the Govern and Moncloa see their political aspirations reflected in tangible commitments. For ERC, these advances are fundamental to securing their support for the budgets; while for the central Executive, they represent a key strategy to maintain parliamentary stability.
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