Junts call for sanctions for companies that left Catalonia due to independence push

Pro-independence party Junts per Catalunya has demanded a reversal of the Spanish government decree that made it easier for companies to move their headquarters outside Catalonia during the 2017 independence push. 

In a radio interview with SER Catalunya on Wednesday, spokesperson Josep Rius also called for penalties to be imposed on firms who do not want to return, and for companies in Catalonia to be given financial incentives. 

The Catalan government responded, saying that it would not be "appropriate" to incentivize companies that changed their headquarters during the independence push. Spokesperson Patrícia Plaja argued that would amount to "penalizing" those companies that remained in Catalonia throughout. 

When asked if the government is considering encouraging companies to move their headquarters back to Catalonia, or penalize firms who decide to keep them outside, Plaja responded: "No, resoundingly no." 

Spanish government open to negotiation 

The Socialists and the Spanish government indicated they would be willing to negotiate Junts' request for tax incentives for those companies that left Catalonia as a result of a decree by the conservative PP government in 2017. 

They are opposed, however, to possible sanctions for those companies that maintain operational centers in Catalonia but moved their headquarters to other parts of Spain. 

The Socialists argue that such sanctions would be illegal.