catalan way

After last week’s minor train accident, the Spanish Minister for Transport, Ana Pastor, wanted to personally check Barcelona Metropolitan Area’s railway infrastructure. Pastor has recognised that the Spanish Government had not invested the required amount in railway infrastructure in Catalonia. She said that €5.748 billion has not been invested. Many Catalan voices have criticised the Spanish Government’s lack of investment in key transport infrastructure for Catalonia’s economy.

15,644 companies opened for business in Catalonia last year, which represents an 8.76% increase compared to 2010. However, in 2011, there was also a 3.17% increase in the number of companies that shut down.

Alimentaria 2012 is one of the most important trade fairs in the world focusing on food and drinks. It is organised in the Catalan capital every two years. The next edition will be held between March 26th and March 29th, reducing its length from 5 to 4 days. However, the trade fair maintains the exhibition space and the number of exhibitors and participants.

The Catalan company opts for sustainable energy and internationalisation to get through the economic difficulties. With this move, Baxiroca hopes to become Europe’s major supplier. The plant has cost 4 million euros and will export 80% of its production.

The Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition ‘CiU’, which runs the Catalan Government, is close to reaching an agreement with the Conservative People’s Party (PP) on this year’s budget. They have been negotiating over the past number of weeks, but the PP has insisted on modifying two of CiU’s new measures: the tourist tax and the drug prescription fee. They have subsequently agreed to postpone the tourist tax until November 2012 and Barcelona will have a different fee. In addition, they have decided to exclude people with low incomes from paying the drug prescription fee.

Mientras duermes’ (‘While you sleep’), filmed by Catalan Jaume Balagueró, was the winner of the night, with 6 awards. The hot favourite ‘Eva’, by Catalan director Kike Maíllo, followed it with 5 prizes. Catalan filmmaker Pere Portabella was given the Honorific Gaudí award for his cinematographic career.

The Irish low-cost airline has announced six new destinations from Barcelona El Prat Airport, as well as an increased frequency of flights on several existing routes. Ryanair has decided to occupy part of the market share left by Spanair after it went bankrupt 10 days ago. Furthermore, Ryanair’s President Michael O’Leary, replied to Spanair workers unions, who complained about the poor working conditions offered by the Irish company to hire them. “Nobody is obliged to work for Ryanair”, he said.

The Catalan artist was considered one of the world’s main painters and sculptors in the 20th century. Antoni Tàpies, whose works are on show in contemporary art museums all over the world, was one of the main representatives of the Art Informel and Symbolism movements. Family sources confirmed Tàpies’ death in his Barcelona home, after a long illness.

‘Eva’, by Catalan director Kike Maíllo and casting German-Catalan actor Daniel Brühl, is the hot favourite after receiving 16 nominations. The Gaudí Awards gather directors, actors, producers and other leading names from the filmmaking world from Catalonia, Spain and worldwide. A total of 29 productions have been nominated, within 22 categories.

From the 2nd to the 11th of February, Barcelona is at the centre of the thriller novel. The Carvalho Prize will be given to Greek writer Petros Màrkaris and tribute paid to the recently-deceased head of the Antifraud Office of Catalonia, David Martínez Madero.

The President of the Catalan Government, Artur Mas, has offered Spain’s Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy; cooperation regards Spain’s structural reforms, such as the Labour Market reform. Mas has not put prior conditions on the table, but only wants to “be able to talk about a new fiscal agreement between Catalonia and Spain”. He said he understands that this is not an “urgent priority for Rajoy”, but it is a “crucial issue” for Catalonia and “an opportunity” for Spain. Mas stressed that his cooperation would not be indefinite, and would have to be renewed in the future. The Catalan President told FAZ about a possible “federation” or “confederation” between Catalonia and Spain.

The Brandery is an urban fashion trade show which holds two editions every year, one in summer and the other in winter. The Brandery winter edition was held from the 27th through to the 29th of January 2012 at the Montjuïc fair trade complex.

The lack of satisfactory offers has forced the Catalan Government to postpone its plan of selling several buildings off for cheap and losing money. Selling real estate assets is one of the ways the Catalan Government hopes to increase revenue and reduce the public deficit. Since none of the offers reached the minimum expected, the Government has decided to wait and postpone the sale.

The Catalan bank Banc Sabadell’s profits experienced a 39% fall when compared to its 2010 results. However, the entity strengthened its balance sheet thanks to an increase in the core capital ratio, which added up to 10.3%. Despite the persistent instability of the financial markets, Banc Sabadell expanded its market share and its products and services reached 2.7 million customers.

During last year 8,217 human towers built. According to latest data, just 3.5% of the total number of human towers collapsed.