Politics

Artur Mas, the President of the Catalan Government answered the Spanish Vice President for Economy, who yesterday suggested that he should raise taxes. He also wants to stop the debate about which percentage of the public expenditure should be cut, after the insistence from Madrid to go beyond the 10%. The Advisory Council for the Economic Recovery met today for the first time. Mas also announced a Catalan summit on economic recovery scheduled for the 25th of March.

The Catalan Government’s initiative received the support of its own group (CiU) as well as votes from the opposition: the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC), the Catalan People’s Party (PPC) and the Left-Wing Catalan Independence Party (ERC). The Catalan Minister for Economy Andreu Mas-Colell explained the details of the legal initiative that was passed via an urgency procedure. The initial amount will be of 2,613 million euros.

The Spanish Parliament approved a motion to start decentralising the airport model. The motion relates to the two main airports: Madrid and Barcelona. The Autonomous Communities, local administrations and the private sector would have a say in the management of the main airports.

After yesterday’s meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Zapatero and the Catalan President, nine Autonomous Communities are protesting and accusing Zapatero of giving privileges to Catalonia. The Catalan Government rejects these accusations recalling that all the discussed transfers were pending issues that had already been agreed on. The new debt will be used to re-finance previous debt and reduce the deficit. This evening, the Spanish Ministry of Economy clarified that Catalonia’s authorisation will be applicable to all the Communities with an approved viability plan.

The Catalan Government will be able to issue more public debt and the State will pay Catalonia 759 million euros that are pending from 2008. According to the Catalan Government, the Spanish Executive owes more than 2,100 million euros, although the figure could be larger. The Catalan President, Artur Mas, claimed this amount and the Catalan Government’s capacity to issue new debt, after having presented a viability and austerity plan a week ago. Both leaders discussed pending competence devolutions today regarding already approved legislation and agreements, but without concrete results. Prime Minister Zapatero was also very interested in this meeting as he wants to count on votes from Mas’ party in the Spanish Parliament. Mas confirmed that his party would support Zapatero’s measures to foster the economic recovery, such as the pension system reform agreement or a new framework for SMEs.

Demonstrators carried signs that said “Free Egypt” or “Up with Egypt, down with Mubarak”. All their claims demanded the President’s immediate resignation.

The Catalan Government sent its austerity and viability plan to the Spanish Ministry of Economy for reviewing yesterday. The plan reduces the public deficit in more than 2 points and sets it at 1.3% for 2011. The finances of the Catalan Government are generating a wide debate at the moment, which is even been covered by international media.

The Chairman of the Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Group in the Catalan Parliament Oriol Pujol stated this morning that the Catalan Government could “practically not pay the salaries” of public workers. However the Catalan Government from the same party calmed public opinion saying that although the situation was difficult, civil servants would not need to worry. The Catalan Government needs new credits to get liquidity and is expecting authorisation from the Spanish Government.

The Mayor of Barcelona calls the removal of the Franco sculpture 'an act of democratic normality'

The days of the previous government’s speed limit measure that brought about a 80 km/h zone are limited. The Catalonian Ministry of Traffic ‘Transit’ is currently deciding on an appropriate speed limit based on the amount of pollution, congestion and security.

The Secretary General for the Union for the Mediterranean Ahmad Masa’deh decided to step down as in his words, “the general conditions against which he accepted to assume the job have changed”. This statement can be interpreted as his way of denouncing how the Israeli-Palestine conflict is practically paralysing the work of the UfM.

Former Catalan President Jordi Pujol, scientist Jordi Camí, macroeconomist Jordi Galí, Spanair Chairmand Ferran Soriano and Architect Benedetta Tagliabue talked about opening Catalonia to the world in a round table debate hosted by the Catalan News Agency in Barcelona.

Jordi Pujol, Former President of the Catalan Government (1980-2003), Jordi Camí, Director General of the Biomedical Research Park of Barcelona, Jordi Galí, Director of the International Economics Research Centre, Ferran Soriano, Chairman of Spanair and Benedetta Tagliabue, Director of the architectural study Miralles-Tagliabue-EMBT will exchange opinions on how to internationalise the country from different points of views and sectors.

The former president of Catalonia Jordi Pujol, the scientific Jordi Camí, the macroeconomist Jordi Galí, the entrepreneur Ferran Soriano and the architect Benedetta Tagliabue will discuss priorities for internationalising Catalonia. The panel debate will take place on Tuesday 25 January, at 19.30, at the MACBA Auditorium in Barcelona.

The President of the Catalan Parliament Núria de Gispert presented the Chamber’s austerity plan today. Staff will be reduced by 10% within the next 4 years, official duty cars by 50% and the scheduled enlargement plan will be put on stand by.