Nadia Calviño: "Spanish companies are doing very well with this government"

First Vice President Nadia Calviño was the one who opened the fire on behalf of the Government against the announcement of the transfer of the Ferrovial headquarters to the Netherlands. She spoke with Rafael del Pino and publicly expressed the Executive’s monumental anger with the decision. In this interview with La Vanguardia, he summarizes the Government’s position on this issue: Ferrovial owes a lot to Spain, the decision taken is wrong and shows its lack of commitment to the country, in addition to the arguments put forward so far by the company for the transfer are not sustained.

He also affirms that Spanish companies are doing very well with this Government and that Ferrovial’s decision has nothing to do with any action or omission of the Spanish Executive. It is an interview carried out at the gates of 8M, in which Calviño, who continues to refuse to participate in photographs where she is the only woman, defends that gender equality is both a matter of social justice and economic efficiency.

How was the conversation you had with Mr. Rafael del Pino the day after Ferrovial’s change of headquarters was announced?

It was a cordial but firm conversation on my part, in which I expressed my rejection of this decision, which I think is wrong and which shows a lack of commitment to Spain.

From the Government it has been indicated that there are personal interests of Mr. Del Pino to pay less taxes behind the decision.

The information we have and the technical analyzes that have been carried out to date cast many doubts on the arguments that have been used publicly to try to explain this decision. And for this reason, if an emblematic company, which has become a large multinational based on its business in Spain, thanks to the support of all the governments that have existed in our country since its foundation, makes an announcement and alleges arguments that are not supported according to the information available up to now, the conclusion is that he shows very little commitment to his country, to Spain.

From Foment they ask the Government to act to avoid a cascade effect. Is there a risk that other companies will follow Ferrovial’s example?

Spain is a country that has large multinationals of which all citizens feel tremendously proud and which, furthermore, have the decided support of the Government. And, on the other hand, it is that companies are doing very well with this government. That is why I say categorically and emphatically that this decision has nothing to do with the Spanish Government or with any action or omission on the part of the Executive.

Is there more legal stability in the Netherlands than in Spain?

Of course not. Spain is a country that has a very high legal stability. In fact, that is why we are attracting significant international investment. Every week there are announcements of millionaire and well-known investments in Catalonia, from companies such as Volkswagen, Cisco, Vodafone, Maersk or Intel. This week at Mobile in Barcelona, ??national and international businessmen have reaffirmed their commitment to Spain.

However, the announcement damages Spain’s reputation.

I insist that they will have to explain the reasons, because according to the available information and technical analysis, they do not have the substance to make a decision like this, which shows so little commitment to the country, whose public works are paid for with taxpayer money. Spanish, have allowed them to become a large multinational.

Could this decision by Ferrovial affect your contracting of public works in Spain?

Since we came to the Government, Ferrovial has managed to win public works tenders for more than one billion euros. Thanks to European funds, we are launching in Spain an investment program in sustainable mobility infrastructures, especially in the field of rail, digitization and green transformation that is practically unprecedented; a program that is unparalleled in other European countries. And, therefore, we are at a time of great growth opportunity for companies in this sector. That is why I tell you that the reasons that have been argued do not serve to explain a decision of this type.

From the CEOE they are accused of demonizing companies. Is the government persecuting businessmen?

Entrepreneurs in our country know very well that since 2018 we have carried out a coherent, responsible and balanced economic policy. That explains why we have been able to respond well to the pandemic and now to the consequences of the war. The growth in investment, in activity, the current account balance of payments surplus, strong job creation, which accelerated in February… All of this benefits companies. I say it forcefully and with conviction. Spanish companies are doing very well with this government.

However, the President of the Government has indicated businessmen with names and surnames.

I think that precisely what the President of the Government has tried to do this week is to value all those Spanish companies, multinational or not, that carry out their businesses and that also have a commitment to the country. Real businessmen. Because notice that the arguments that are being used publicly have nothing really to do with business activity. They are all financial. I believe that in Spain there are very good businessmen and the Government is committed to them, as we have shown in these almost five years.

The year has started with two consecutive months of rising inflation and with a core of 7.7%. Will it take longer than expected to control it?

Inflation is the main problem we have had from the economic and social point of view since the war broke out. That is why we have implemented measures to contain it that have been effective; They have allowed us to lower it by five points in five months and place inflation in Spain among the lowest in the EU. In this first part of the year, great volatility in inflation rates can be expected, because we are comparing it with the index twelve months ago when it shot up as a result of the war. We will be at much lower levels, practically from half of those of last year, but on this issue there can be no complacency because, although Spain is among the countries with the lowest rates in Europe, the rise in prices hurts families.

The VAT reduction on basic foods has had very limited effects. Is it necessary to adopt more measures?

The data confirm that the measure is effective in foods where the VAT reduction is applied. Two weeks ago we agreed to help farmers to offset the cost of fertilizers. These are measures that still have a long way to go and we are closely monitoring them to continue adopting effective, efficient measures that do not generate undesirable effects.

With the Euribor already at 3.8% and its impact on mortgages, has the code of good practice that you agreed with the bank fallen short?

The rapid rise in interest rates especially affects families with variable rate mortgages. That’s why we acted so quickly, even before the bulk of the revisions occurred, in the course of this year. On March 9 we have a meeting with the representatives of financial institutions and with the associations that represent consumers and users, and especially the elderly. We are going to review how the different codes of good practice are applied, that of care for the elderly and with disabilities, that of physical financial services throughout the territory and that of mortgages. We are determined to strengthen the protection of citizens in this area. That is why it is so important that we move forward with the Financial Client Defense Authority as soon as possible; And that is why it is incomprehensible to me that Esquerra Republicana has presented an amendment to the entirety, together with Vox, to this bill, which is being debated in Parliament this week. It is incomprehensible, since it is a highly demanded and urgent bill.

In Barcelona he had a confrontation with the mayoress Ada Colau over the Housing law. Do you agree to set a ceiling of 3% to update the rents?

Our Government has been the most protective in all of Europe in this area, with the ceiling on rent updating of 2% since the outbreak of the pandemic, which has been maintained this year. This is a measure to respond to an extraordinary situation. With the law we have to think that it is a stable legal framework and that it has to serve not only for extraordinary situations, but in general, also to boost the supply of housing and guarantee that citizens have access under adequate conditions. I hope that the pending issues are closed soon because it is a good and necessary law, to accompany the promotion of public housing that we are doing from the Government of Spain.

This week 8M is celebrated. A year ago, you announced that you would no longer take pictures at events where you were the only woman.

I continue to apply it and this week we have had a situation in which we have had to point it out. Although it is a gesture, it helps to change perception, to make visible and give voice; to reflect the importance that women have. We have come a long way but the resistance and the lack of understanding that I encounter sometimes show us that there is still a lot to do.

The President of the Government announced yesterday that it would be adopted by law that listed companies or public interest entities have 40% women in their management. Is it necessary to regulate it by law?

We have come a long way in gender equality but the presence of women on the boards of directors of listed companies in Spain does not reach 30%, and it does not even reach 20% in the case of senior management. There is no time to lose to achieve a balanced presence in decision-making spheres. Hence the need for this bill, which sets the target of 40%, with a realistic schedule. We must take full advantage of female talent, for reasons of social justice and economic efficiency.

The 8M arrives when there is a strong division in the government coalition. Will the differences on the “only yes is yes” law also be reflected on the street?

I hope not, because we have to stick together. I believe that the feminist agenda is an agenda that has to unite men and women, because it is an agenda to improve human rights, democratic quality and social progress. And from that point of view, I hope that all of us, men and women, will demonstrate on 8M with the double objective of celebrating what has already been achieved and of continuing to move forward.

How will the crisis caused by this law be solved?

We are a feminist government committed to the protection of women. The “law of yes is yes” is positive and necessary. If an error or deficiency is detected in light of the interpretation that the judges are making of the law, it must be resolved as soon as possible. It is clear that nobody expected this interpretation to occur, but if it is detected, it must be resolved.

Are you going to demonstrate on 8M?

Yes, I go every year and I hope we will all see each other there.