The president of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonès, wants the Government's budgets for the year 2024 to come into force between the end of January and the beginning of February. This is stated in an interview in the Acn where he assures that his Executive already has the “work done” and that, if it were up to him, the accounts could be approved “today” in the Consell Executiu to later take them to the Parliament, although before To do so he wants to close a pact with the necessary groups.
In this sense, the head of the Government warns PSC, Junts, Comuns and CUP, parties that have shown their willingness to negotiate to one degree or another, that “putting too many red lines can make an agreement impossible,” and urges them to close “the as soon as possible” a broad pact. “If they can come into effect at the end of January or early February, better than later,” he says.
Aragonès intends to “accelerate the conversations” 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 contents of the new accounts. In fact, he assures that the parties involved already have the “most important” information in their hands, so he trusts that the agreement will not be delayed too much: “We need it to be executed soon,” he insists.
Regarding the terms of the potential agreement, the president emphasizes that it will be necessary for everyone to make an effort to “put aside” their 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 the El Prat airport or the B-40, which the PSC considers "essential" to start the negotiation, do not define "in any case" 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 demand, and the explicit rejection that the commons demand of him in order to grant him their votes again.
In any case, the newly inaugurated year will be marked by the pre-electoral environment and, aware of this, he does not hesitate to run again as an ERC candidate. “I feel with all the strength and courage to continue serving citizens,” he says. In any case, Aragonès avoids explicit confirmation by claiming that he is “concentrated” on day-to-day governance 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 “top-level political asset”, regardless of his future institutional participation. , once the amnesty is applied, as expected.
Furthermore, Aragonès rules out the replacement at the head of the ERC leadership that was demanded by the former leader of the party in Barcelona, Ernest Maragall, in his farewell to the City Council: “We are a living party, with internal debate and participation, and consolidated leadership ”, he justifies. Furthermore, he remembers that Junqueras, Marta Rovira and himself lead a direction chosen just a year ago at the Lleida congress.
Regarding whether Junqueras would be a good candidate for the European elections in June, the president does not comment. He limits himself to indicating that ERC will make the decision “jointly.”
Aragonès also closes ranks with the president of the Republican group in Congress, Gabriel Rufián, whom he trusts will continue contributing “all his capacity” during the next four years, thus ignoring the gossip that suggests that the leader could close his time in Madrid.
