The president of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonès, wants the Government’s budgets for the year 2024 to enter into force between the end of January and the beginning of February. This is what he points out in an interview with the ACN in which he assures that his Executive already has the “job done” and that, if it were up to him, the accounts could be approved “today” in the Executive Council to bring them later in Parliament, although before doing so he wants to close an agreement with the necessary groups.
In this sense, the head of the Government warns the PSC, Junts, the commons and the CUP, parties that have shown their willingness to negotiate to one degree or another, that “putting many red lines can make an agreement impossible”, and urges to close “as soon as possible” a broad pact. “If they can enter into force at the end of January or the beginning of February, better than later,” he points out.
Aragonès aims to “accelerate the talks” in “a few weeks” and reiterates the “full availability” of the Government to provide the parliamentary groups with all the information they need about projects and the contents of the new accounts. In fact, he assures that the parties involved already have the “most important” information, so he trusts that the agreement will not be delayed much: “We need it to be executed soon”, he insists.
Regarding the terms of the potential agreement, the president emphasizes that everyone will have to make the effort to “put aside” party positions to prioritize the interest of the country. In this sense, he points out that macro-projects such as the Hard Rock, the future of El Prat airport or the B-40, which the PSC considers “essential” to start negotiations, do not “in any case” define the horizon or the future of the country; an ambiguous position with which he avoids, on the one hand, reaffirming his commitment to them, as the socialists claim, and on the other, the explicit rejection that the commons demand of him to lend him their votes again.
In any case, the year just inaugurated will be marked by the pre-election atmosphere and, aware of this, he does not hesitate to apply again as an ERC candidate. “I feel with all the strength and courage to continue serving the public,” he says. In any case, Aragonès avoids an explicit confirmation claiming that he is “concentrated” on day-to-day government and the challenges of 2024.
The president leaves the final decision in the hands of the party, in accordance with its internal procedures, and highlights the figure of the president of ERC, Oriol Junqueras, whom he defines as a “first-level political asset”, regardless of the his future institutional participation, once the amnesty is applied to him, as planned.
In addition, Aragonès rules out the replacement at the head of the ERC management that the former head of the party in Barcelona, ??Ernest Maragall, claimed in his farewell to the City Council: “We are a living party, with a debate and participation internal, and consolidated leadership”, he justifies. In addition, he remembers that Junqueras, Marta Rovira and himself lead a direction elected almost a year ago at the Lleida congress.
As for whether Junqueras would be a good head of the list in the European elections in June, the president does not wet his ass. It is limited to indicating that ERC will take the decision “jointly”.
Aragonès also agrees with the president of the Republican group in Congress, Gabriel Rufián, and trusts that he will continue to contribute “all his capacity” during the next four years, so he avoids the reasons that point out that the leader could end his time in Madrid
