Salvador Illa (La Roca del Vallès, 1966) meets us on one of the beaches in Barcelona, near the PSC headquarters, in Poblenou, a space where he used to go for a run when the schedule allowed during his time as secretary of organization of the party, before going to the Ministry of Health. Back in Catalonia, he regained his love of running and, he wants to be careful, but he is preparing a marathon.
Why did you start running?
It is the sport that was best suited to my work circumstances: flexible, individual, and if it catches me traveling I can practice it. I became a fan, already with some regularity, in 2018, although later in Madrid with the pandemic I had to stop. And since I came back, and in particular since a year ago, when I took advantage of the summer to pick up a certain rhythm, I haven't left it.
How far does he run?
I run one hour a day, four days a week, and I try to do 20 kilometers once a week, but it depends on how I feel. I run between 40 and 50 kilometers a week. I live in La Roca and, sometimes, instead of going through the urban area, I go through the mountains or along the riverbed. Running gives me a feeling of freedom, and I like being in contact with nature, hearing its sounds.
What do you think about while running, or playing music?
I usually listen to a podcast, and if I go with a colleague, we talk. And if not, I take stock, usually of the previous day, and it is also a time to let thoughts and concerns come to you, basically from the professional field.
When training there comes a time when you can't take it anymore, some stop and others continue, what do you do?
I only seek to practice a sport, I demand a discipline of myself, but with a limit.
The writer Haruki Murakami explains in a book that when he trains for a marathon, if he increases the distance he slows down the pace and vice versa, to keep good feelings for the next day.
I also try to run by sensations, to be well. It has to be an activity that generates pleasure, with a point of demand. I follow some guidelines that a party partner who runs long distance sets for me. I'm trying to prepare a marathon, and if I'm fit enough I want to run in December, we'll see.
Speaking of purposes, but in politics, what do you do for the next course?
Serenity in politics, prudence, seek agreement. In difficult times, when European values are being attacked, it is important to reinforce some basic consensus in our society and this requires moderation.
Has Catalonia already passed the page, as insisted in the campaign?
The page is turning. With the renewal of positions in the Parliament that we agreed, with some consensus that we are re-establishing, with the agreement of Catalan at school. But we still have to open the dialogue between Catalans. It was an agreement with ERC and they are not fulfilling it. As for society, I perceive that it has turned the page in a clearer way and is eager to reaffirm what unites us and is focused on generating prosperity.
Is the process a closed folder?
No. I think it is a folder that we are closing, and in any case I prefer to talk about the future. The Constitution allows everyone to politically defend the project they deem most convenient, it has never been a problem. The great lesson of recent years in Catalonia is that the framework of coexistence must be respected, one cannot act unilaterally.
What solution should be given to expatriates, including a former president of the Generalitat?
With all due respect to all the people, those you have mentioned, others who have stayed here, others who disagree with what has happened and who have also felt offended, I must say that the rule of law is the cornerstone of a democracy, and when a person makes decisions they have to face the consequences, as other people who participated in these events have certainly done.
Do you often speak with Pedro Sánchez?
Yes, I have a good relationship with him, also as responsible for the PSOE and the PSC.
Has Catalonia ceased to be one of President Sánchez's main concerns?
Not at all. She has had to face very complex situations such as the pandemic and now the war, two perfect excuses to forget the Catalan folder, and she has not done it. I am aware that there is still a concern and an impulse, from the scope of its responsibilities, to contribute to what we call the reunion of Catalonia with the rest of Spain and of the Catalans with ourselves. And there is a set of measures of his Government that demonstrate that will.
Are you still in a WhatsApp group in Madrid?
Of some colleagues from the ministry, yes, but my responsibility here in Catalonia is very absorbing, I am focused on this.
You spent a year in Health, with adrenaline rushing, don't you get bored in Parliament?
We have a very demanding work schedule. Expand the party, open it up and make it more dynamic, to occupy the political centrality, and that requires a lot of dedication, to tour Catalonia. As a parliamentary group we have organized ourselves with an alternative government, which forces us to be proactive. And we also have a travel and interview program to explain ourselves in the rest of Spain and in Europe. I am very satisfied with the work we do and very excited and I do not find it boring or heavy, on the contrary.
Are you going on vacation?
Yes, I am going with my wife. We will go one week to Asturias and one to Galicia. And maybe we'll take a beach getaway. Let's rest. I will try to do a bit of sport, but in a relaxed way. And reading.
What books do you have pending?
Several, but I have two as my objective: the biography of Tarradellas by Joan Esculies, and Josep Pla and Jaume Vicens Vives. The time of decisions, their correspondence. And some more reading, fiction.
