Josep Santacreu yesterday presented his list for the elections of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce with 46 names grouped under the slogan “Va d’empresa” and with two key promises: to focus on the defense of business, without political bias, and put an end to the “marginalization” of the institution which, in his opinion, is reflected, among other things, in the loss of the vice-presidency of the Chamber of Spain, where an important part of state resources is decided and Europeans for the chambers.
In an event at the Cercle d’Economia, the former director general of DKV also advanced the possibility of reversing some of the recent decisions, such as the drastic reduction (from 14 to 2) of the plenary seats that are occupied in exchange for ‘an economic contribution, the so-called silver chairs. “And they haven’t even got candidates for these two positions”, he denounced along with the losses suffered by the Chamber and the sharp increase in the wage bill.
Accompanied by representatives of some of the companies that appear on his list such as Juan José Brugera (Colonial), Eloi Planes (Cepex, of the Fluidra group), Joan Ametller (Casa Ametller) and Emili Rousaud (Factorenergia), Santacreu went to insist on the fact that it is a “plural and transversal” candidacy both in the representation of the business segments, from self-employed to large companies, and in the political sensitivities of the members who make up it. “Now everyone will have to work to win the seat in their corresponding section”, he recalled.
Unlike Eines de País-Un Pas Més, Santacreu does not present candidates for the 52 members of the plenary who are covered by suffrage. It presents only 46. For about five more, support will be given to entities that have chosen to present themselves for free – Banc Sabadell, Bon Preu, Saba, Col·legi de Farmacèutics and Gremi d’Hotels -, as explained by Enric Jové , the campaign manager. And for a sixth place there is no candidate.
In the first heading, the one related to energy and water, the battle is very tight: CatGas (Eines), Rousaud (Santacreu) and Agbar, who is free and has refused to support any of the lists, are competing.
Santacreu rejected, on the other hand, the participation in the electoral debates proposed by the team led by Mònica Roca, which is supported by the Catalan National Assembly (ANC). Jové argued the rejection stating that “the debate model comes from politics and not from the business world”. Their alternative is meetings with voter groups.
With regard to the axes of his proposal, they highlight the aim of improving competitiveness by promoting, in front of the administrations, a reduction in bureaucracy, which today causes some projects to be delayed by 23 months. In addition, it is committed to promoting fiscal changes, including a new regional financing model and an improvement in the treatment of Catalan entrepreneurs.
Among the best-known companies supporting the list are La Farga, Ficosa and Comsa. Santandreu is presented by the Fundació pro Diminuïts Psíquics Finestrelles.
