Illa accuses Madrid of living off the 'capital effect'

Salvador Illa accuses the Community of Madrid of benefiting from its capital status and predicts that Pedro Sánchez will remain in power after 29 November.

According to catalunyapress.es, the president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, believes that the government of Isabel Díaz Ayuso is shameless in announcing tax cuts while relying on the economic weight of the capital. He made this statement in an interview where he also criticised Junts' closeness to Vox.

Illa argues that the Madrid model cannot be exported to other territories. His criticism is summarised in a phrase directed straight at the Madrid president:

You do not manage better; you are privatising everything. You are benefiting from this effect.

According to the president, this strategy shifts the fiscal bases towards Madrid and impoverishes the rest of the territories. For him, it is not the model he wants for Spain.

Looking ahead to the general elections on 29 November, Illa believes that Pedro Sánchez will remain in power. He bases this on citizen mobilisation and recent events in Brazil, Israel, and the United States, where, in his view, people have demanded public services and peace.

Regarding the resignation of the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, following the railway accident in Urda, Illa has described it as a gesture of coherence. He has also acknowledged a reputational crisis for the AVE Barcelona-Madrid line after two accidents in ten months, although he maintains that the system is safe according to experts. He calls for substantial investment to keep it that way, a point of interest for the thousands of travellers who connect Catalonia with the capital each week.

Illa accuses Vox of wanting to Spanishify Catalonia and asks Junts what position it has regarding initiatives that, according to him, attack self-government, the Catalan language, and public media. In light of this scenario, he presents two paths.

There are two options here: either continue progressing or face regression.

Regarding the resignation of his Chief of Staff, Eduard Rivas, due to an investigation into alleged irregular contracts in Esparreguera, Illa describes him as a person of great human quality and thanks him for his work. According to the president, Rivas has explained himself clearly.

When asked about the actions of the Mossos during the disturbances linked to the Blocus phenomenon, Illa considers them impeccable. Concerning the clashes on 24 October in Barcelona, which resulted in 130 arrests and damage to businesses, he warns that those who commit such acts will ultimately pay for it.

Those who do it will pay.

Finally, Illa believes that Sánchez has a future in Spain and predicts that he will return as president after 29 November. He asserts that he is focused on Catalonia.