The genesis of the process that the candidate of the PSC, Salvador Illa, intends to file, is usually located in the cut of the Constitutional Court on the current Statute and in the stimulus that the economic crisis and the insufficient reform of financing caused in nationalism of 2009. With the same statutory framework, still to be squeezed, Catalan socialism aims to prevent the appeasement achieved with pardons and amnesty from serving independence to return to square one, which is why Illa to proclaim yesterday that, if he is the next president, Catalonia will have more self-government and “fair and social” financing, which will bring back stability, at least for a long time.
The PSC candidate yesterday presented the government scheme he has in mind if he assumes the presidency of the Catalan Executive at the “Unir i servir” conference, held at Les Drassanes in Barcelona. Faced with an overwhelming attendance due to the broad representation of Catalan civil and economic society, Illa revealed his purpose of leading “the third great transformation of Catalonia”, based on “uniting and serving all Catalans” under the common denominator of management, avoiding ideologies, to recover excellence in public services and stimulate progress.
For this reason, the provision of more resources will be essential, which is why he underpinned his commitment and that of the central government to improve Catalonia’s financing system. In this way, the policy of the reunion of President Sánchez will have continuity beyond the clemency measures.
In financing, Illa defends the position that has come to be called the principle of ordinality, that is to say, that Catalonia is not harmed after the distribution made by the State of the resources it collects, so that if it is the third in contribute, don’t be relegated when receiving. “We do not agree on this” and “I promise to work to reverse this situation” with a “fair and social financing pact”, that is to say, to “reduce inequalities”. In addition, “I will agree on the proposal with the social agents”, he assured.
The candidate of the PSC has in mind to agree with the Government on the financing and to “collaborate” with the Executive of Sánchez to “end unfair fiscal competition, fiscal dumping, which has no place in Spain”, he warned. At the same time, he considers that the best way to improve the system in accordance with the Statute is to deploy the Generalitat-State tax consortium so that Catalonia collects and manages taxes.
Continuing with this philosophy, Illa pointed out that he proposes to “expand self-government” by fulfilling some fifty pending transfers. “We will do it”. “I will lead the transformation of our self-government with a government above ideologies and parties. Everyone vetoes, but I have the hand”, he alleged.
But in the case of reaching the presidency of the Generalitat, the PSC candidate believes that there are imperative management issues. One is “transforming public services”. Illa proposes to make a diagnosis of the previous situation, which is why he plans to create a commissioner for the self-government of Catalonia, with direct dependence on the presidency, whose first task will be to carry out an audit of public services in Catalonia over the last 10 years of pro-independence governments, whose record is “not good”.
His first initiative as president will be to approve an omnibus decree with short, medium and long-term measures to deal with the drought and endowed with 3.5 billion euros. This extraordinary decree will include a shock plan, “with the councils”, with resources for the necessary irrigation and water desalination infrastructures “so as not to be dependent on the sky”.
Another of the promises that Illa launched was to shield by law the reference index of social benefits (IRSC) in accordance with the cost of living, but he also spoke of the need to promote renewable energies, update the infrastructures or to reform the functioning of the Catalan administration. And all with “an attitude of collaboration, not confrontation”, because “I have seen the potential of collaboration policies and it is much higher, more fruitful, than confrontation”.
