Carlos Mazón celebrates one hundred days as the new president of the Generalitat Valenciana, after an agreement between the Popular Party and Vox that left the Valencian left, which had governed the community for two terms, in opposition. La Vanguardia interviewed the new Valencian president last Wednesday.
Let's start with current politics. The investiture of Pedro Sánchez is being negotiated and the central point of that negotiation is the amnesty for the Catalan independentists who have been prosecuted. What is your opinion on this?
The amnesty is outside the Constitution. The State is empowered to forgive, not to ask for forgiveness. All this comes from a devilish electoral mathematics, from an artificial construction of a story and this is how we reach this end, with some gentlemen with particular, penal needs.
A devilish electoral mathematics Why was the prediction of the majority of the polls not fulfilled on July 23?
Due to the extraordinary sagacity and surprise effect of Sánchez in the 23-J call, and due to the strategy of fear, of those of the “Doberman”, this time due to the pacts with Vox. The majorities that were established on March 28 were not so devilish. There were more factors and they all came together to avoid that majority that was coming.
Don't you think it would have been better for the PP to follow a concerted strategy in the autonomies of postponing the pacts with Vox until after 23-J? Have you made any self-criticism?
I made my first self-criticism on the election night of 23-J where the Valencian PP advanced 60,000 more votes and we went from 9 national deputies to 15. I am not able to gauge the electoral punishment that the PP would have had if it had not launched the change in Valencia. Arranging the autonomies was difficult and our deadlines were different from other autonomies; It had to be before 23-J.
From your words do we understand that having waited would have harmed the Valencian PP?
It was neither possible, nor should it, nor did we want to. Our obligation was to give the change that the Valencians deserved, and put it into action and put an end to a time of waste, expense and mismanagement.
What is your relationship with Vox like?
Well, we agree on priorities and especially on budgets, I'm comfortable. I work with my counselors regardless of whether they are from Vox or not. There are obvious differences, but they have all been overcome.
You have said that there is a “hidden agenda” between Sánchez and the Catalan independentists. What does it refer to?
The same thing that those who are negotiating have proclaimed. Mr. Sánchez hasn't said anything for a month and says that they are talking and that he has a recipe, but he doesn't tell us which one. Junts and ERC say that too, but they do not say what. In the end, some gentlemen can negotiate and eat on the sidelines with privileges compared to the rest of Spaniards. Sooner or later we will know the details, but I honestly expect the worst.
Do you believe that this hidden agenda is paralyzing the expansion of the Port of Valencia?
Yes, of course. I have proof. Together with Compromís, ERC presented an amendment in the Senate and later a PNL [Non-Law Proposal] in Congress to paralyze the expansion of the port of Valencia. It is not a suspicion, it is evidence. I want to remember that the current president of the port of Barcelona [Lluis Salvadó] is part of a party (ERC) that in the Senate has presented in his own hand the request to stop the expansion of the port of Valencia. I'm not speculating.
The question is whether you are aware that in the investiture negotiations there is talk of paralyzing the port of Valencia,
Of course I suspect it, how could I not? We have always been harmed by the Catalan separatist sovereignty of the Valencian Community, such as with that dream of the Catalan Countries, or that refusal of the strategic association to change the financing - "without help for the Port of the supposed brother" -, nor in favor of water for Valencia, or trampling every day on the Valencian statute of sister autonomy, ignoring the name of our language.
What is the relationship you want to have with Catalonia?
The best possible, equal to equal. Catalonia is the main client of the Valencian Community and vice versa, and I am going to favor that relationship. But there are red lines that mark common sense, our Statute and our hallmarks. Ximo Puig fueled ideas such as a Commonwealth with Catalonia and the Balearic Islands with public money, which evokes London's relationship with its former colonies. Look, we don't want to depend on Barcelona. Puig gave 11 million euros to entities that defend the Catalan Countries. Perhaps what we should do is Valencianize Catalonia before Catalanizing the Valencian Community.
Is Pere Aragonés a good interlocutor for the Generalitat Valenciana?
I'm not going to qualify him, but he doesn't seem like the best interlocutor because the only sentence he addressed to me is that if we eliminate aid to pan-Catalan entities, he will pay for it. It doesn't seem like the friendliest way to start a relationship. And that he does not dedicate himself to questioning the autonomy of others, the status of others; It is difficult to respect the statute of autonomy of a president who does not respect mine. It is difficult for him to be a valid interlocutor.
Aragonés was in Valencia last night to participate in the October Premis party. [This question was added yesterday]
A Spaniard in Spain can move freely throughout the territory. If you are also polite and let us know, it would be wonderful.
What do you want to do with the Valencian Language Academy, AVL?
The former Ximo Puig changed the linguistic criteria twice, leaning towards philological Catalanization without requesting a report from the AVL. We do respect it and work with it to encourage the use of the most common Valencian.
What does it mean to revalencianize Valencian?
It means that there is not only one type of Valencian. It means recovering terms that are used on the street that the Botànic [alliance of the left] decided to exclude arbitrarily.
When you say that the language must be Valencianized, are you referring to incorporating new words into the lexicon or changing the Castelló norms of 1932, the orthographic rules shared with Catalan?
I mean the lexicon. There is an academic authority, there is a science, and there is an academy, which perhaps could change its name.
Would you change the name?
I would be in favor of doing so. Not to impose it. It would be interesting, the Valencian Academy of Language, which is not the same as the Valencian Language Academy. Because the name of our language is Valencian. I am not naive, I am aware that some try to torpedo or manipulate the philological debate. They speak of language unity as a prelude to political unity. At that point they will have me in front of them.
Colombians speak Spanish. They do not call it Colombian, although they use many words and expressions that are not common in Spain. The same thing happens in the other Latin American countries and no one questions the unity of the Spanish language in the world. They share a language, a great language, which contains many variants, and it does not seem that they are subject to Spain.
I find that a dangerous analogy. In the Constitution of Colombia there is no article that says that its language is Colombian, but in the Valencian statute it says that Valencian is spoken.
Why are you against tax harmonization?
They want us to suppress the capacity of the autonomies, their fiscal framework, their ability to decide. Better that they say "we want the PP autonomies to not be able to lower taxes." How is it possible that the PSOE says in the morning that it has a federal soul and a higher level of competition and that same afternoon says that everyone must pay the same taxes and end fiscal autonomy?
What would be your solution to compete with Madrid, which enhances its attractiveness as a capital with great tax incentives?
Change the regional financing system and finally do justice to Valencia. Madrid has the capital and we have the Mediterranean, each one tries to take advantage of their advantages and it is legitimate. Can the sovereigntists take their status towards independence and can I not offer deductions for Alzheimer's expenses for low incomes?
Is the alternative that you propose for Valencia a more intense relationship with the Community of Madrid?
We have to generate complicity with everyone who can help us. Madrid, Castilla León, we are your natural departure and arrival of goods. Now the priority is for the Government to approve the expansion of the Port of Valencia, which is also key for Madrid.
