After 16 years of mayors of the convergent space, the Movem-PSC coalition has promoted change in Tortosa. Jordi Jordan, deputy for En Comú Podem in Parliament, a history professor and long-time politician despite his age (40 years), is the new mayor with the support of the three ERC councilors, to whom the mayoralty will cede last year and a half, and the only councilor of the CUP, who will be out of government. The opposition will be led by Meritxell Roigé, one councilor away from an absolute majority.
With what mentality do you face the challenge of leading this change?
With great enthusiasm and desire and at the same time with a great sense of responsibility for what it means to be mayor of a city like Tortosa and for the enthusiasm of many people who want change. I want to govern for everyone, not just for one Tortosa. I want to make a quiet change, move forward with everything that can be improved, but keep everything that is good. Politicians do not have to go on forever, my goal is to serve at most two terms in order to promote the modernization of Tortosa and change.
What are your priorities?
We have to open housing, it is a necessity for young people. The commitment to the walls and the old town is very important, we have a great opportunity. We must promote downtown trade, we want it with much more life. Also the expansion of the Catalunya Sud industrial estate, which I led from Parliament. Young people tell me that they leave Tortosa because they don't feel welcome; we have to make an attractive city for them. And we have to open the city to the river because the Ebro is our reason for being. The city must begin to look at the river.
In the midst of a historic drought, should the city lead the defense of the Ebro River more than ever?
Tortosa must lead the defense of the river, I will do it whoever is in charge in Barcelona and Madrid. The drought tells us that water is a precious asset and we must bet on the new culture of water. Climate change is a reality.
The plenary session of his investiture was very tense. How do you plan to reduce the tension?
Governing for everyone regardless of who voted for me. I want to be the mayor of all. And it is important to reach out to opposition groups; I ask you for the responsibility to make a constructive opposition, not tense.
Does Tortosa have enormous potential that it has not taken advantage of?
One of the subjects that we have pending is to let us know Catalonia and the rest of the State much more. When they visit us they are surprised. We have to turn the vision that we were a very important city into a negative one and turn it into an opportunity. We lack projection.
The Francoist monument is still in the middle of the Ebro river. What will you do now as mayor?
We are waiting for the judicial resolution because it depends on justice and we are also waiting for the law of historical memory. When it is resolved, if it ends up indicating that it is withdrawn, what we have to do is have an interpretation center in Tortosa where we can explain the history of the battle of the Ebro and take advantage of the main parts of the monument, making it positive for memory democracy and the external image of the city. If the Generalitat ends up withdrawing it, which is the competent administration, we will demand the construction of a walkway, the historic boat bridge.
Why is it such a taboo subject?
He did not retire at the end of the dictatorship and there is a part of society that has normalized it. A part of Tortosa society has not understood the debate, it has been seen as an imposition from outside. If he had withdrawn after the dictatorship, it would have been understood much more than after so many years, laws and changes.
Does it hurt that from the outside some think that Tortosa is an undemocratic city?
It is unfair, in the last municipal, general and Catalan elections the majority of Tortosa voted for leftist and progressive forces. They are trying to turn us into a right-wing, conservative city. The reality of now has nothing to do with the Tortosa of 30 or 40 years ago.
He has claimed the vegueria of the Terres de l'Ebre. Should Tortosa pull the cart?
It is a historical, economic and social reality. From Catalonia and the State there is a double slope: more and more sensitivity towards the south but also distance. There is much work to be done.
Why do they claim a new hospital for Tortosa?
The current one is outdated. We want to be a first class territory, with a modern hospital. And it is basic to attract health personnel. We will do everything possible so that the Generalitat promotes it; You don't build a hospital in a year or two. We will demand its construction.
