In the midst of negotiations for the Generalitat’s 2024 budget, the Government has appointed Josep Maria Aguirre i Font as the new General Secretary of Economy and Finance. He does this by replacing Josep Maria Villarrúbia, who will go on to strengthen the Generalitat team in charge of securing maximum resources for the transfer of Rodalies.
Villarrúbia has been number two in the ministry since October 2022, under the command of minister Natàlia Mas, when Pere Aragonès restructured the Catalan Executive after the departure of Junts from the Palau de la Generalitat.
This morning the Government will meet with the PSC, with which it hopes to agree the budgets of the Generalitat. Aguirre will predictably make his debut as secretary general at this meeting for a budget negotiation in which the Catalan Cabinet trusts that “contacts will intensify in the coming days”. This was stated by the spokesperson of the Government, Patrícia Plaja, together with the councilors Manel Balcells (Health) and Carles Campuzano (Social Rights), after the ordinary meeting of the Executive Council yesterday morning.
“We will not venture to establish a calendar. We are convinced that the expansionary budgets that the country needs will be approved”, he added, although he avoided linking them to the negotiation of the State’s general budgets, as did the spokeswoman for Esquerra Republicana Raquel Sans a few days ago Aragonès recently assured that he believes they will be approved by the Government at the end of January or the beginning of February.
The Catalan Executive has so far held talks with four parliamentary groups: the PSC, Junts, En Comú Podem and the CUP. Aragonès takes it for granted that the Socialists will end up supporting the accounts of 2024. The Commons could also facilitate their approval, but those of Jéssica Albiach have hardened their position compared to last year. On the other hand, the Government does not maintain the same degree of trust with the post-convergents and also finds it difficult for the Cuparians to join a pact.
Aguirre holds a doctorate in Law from the University of Girona (UdG). Since October 2022 he has served as general director of Patrimonio. He has combined his academic and scientific career with the development of other professional tasks: legal advisor to the Diputació de Girona (2007-2011), member of the Mixed Commission for State-General Transfers (2009-2011), administrative lawyer (2012) -2015) and member of the Territorial Committee of Urbanism of Girona, since 2014.
