The head of the opposition and leader of the PSC, Salvador Illa, has returned the ball to President Pere Aragonès after the Christmas speech and has replied that the latter is "responsible" for Catalonia going to start 2023 without budgets. In this way, Illa has shaken off the pressure, after yesterday the head of the Government urged the Socialists and Junts to close an agreement for the accounts. In statements to SER, the PSC leader recalled that he already offered his hand to negotiate in the summer, "but they told us that, with us, nothing."
"The PSC is a responsible party", stressed Illa, after the demand for "political will" from Aragonès in the message of Sant Esteve. Although the positions are getting closer, there is still no closed agreement and Catalonia will start 2023 without approved accounts. The head of the opposition has regretted that he is now negotiating the budgets "quickly and running" despite having offered repeatedly for months. Illa explained that they will reveal his position "in the next few hours or days."
The Socialists, led in the negotiation by the spokesperson in the Parliament, Alícia Romero, and the deputy Jordi Riba, intend to include in the eventual pact the Government's commitment to various projects, such as the Hard Rock leisure macro-complex or the Cuarto Cinturón del Vallès . "It is not about mixing folders, but about being serious," highlighted the socialist after criticism for wanting to agree on measures unrelated to the accounts. Likewise, he has accused Esquerra of stopping this type of project "for the electoral interest of a part of his party." These decisions, lamented Illa, "dwarf" Catalonia.
Illa has also talked about the agreement between ERC and common for the accounts. According to the socialist, the Government should have started "with the groups that have the most strength" and then "complement it" with smaller parties. He has also warned that "it is not the most appropriate time" to make changes in tax matters, after those of Aragonès and Jéssica Albiach have agreed on a tax on large fortunes and harden them in the field of empty apartments.
In response to the insistence of Pere Aragonès to reach a clear agreement, Salvador Illa has assured that the president “knows that the referendum is not going to be held”. Thus, he calls on the Chief Executive to find points of "consensus" and "not set impossible horizons." For Illa, it is necessary to set "reasonable objectives", such as the leadership of the Spanish economy. Delving into his weak parliamentary support, he reminded the president that when he raised the clarity agreement "the Government broke" shortly after.
Salvador Illa has criticized that the president's institutional Christmas message "is not the place to make this type of comment" with so much political content - according to the PSC leader - and aimed at opposition groups. "The speech must be addressed to all Catalans", demanded Illa, who believes that the head of the Government was not "correct".
