Ximo Puig: "I have not confronted Sánchez, I have exercised autonomy"

Ximo Puig Ferrer (Morella, 1959) has chaired the Generalitat Valenciana since June 2015 and aspires to a third re-election next May.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
06 November 2022 Sunday 04:32
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Ximo Puig: "I have not confronted Sánchez, I have exercised autonomy"

Ximo Puig Ferrer (Morella, 1959) has chaired the Generalitat Valenciana since June 2015 and aspires to a third re-election next May. Puig is the socialist politician with the greatest responsibility in autonomous Spain, given the demographic and economic volume of the Valencian Community. He rejects the title of baron and declares himself a convinced federalist, despite the misgivings that term still arouses in his party. Puig, who governs in coalition with Compromís and United We Can, has just approved a tax reform in the Valencian Community that initially collided with the slogan launched by Pedro Sánchez in the Government. Interviewed by La Vanguardia last Thursday, the Valencian president claims the exercise of autonomy and pronounces on other issues.

Alberto Núñez Feijóo presented himself a few months ago as a politician from the periphery. He introduced nuances to the Madrid navel-gazing of the Spanish right. Are we facing a defeat of the periphery on the right?

What has happened in the last ten days shows a great weakness in Feijóo's leadership, which is seriously affected. It seems that the Madrid method for the leadership of the Spanish right is taking hold, as well as the most rudimentary centralism. Nothing to do with that Feijóo who claimed to understand the Spain of Spains. The centralist elites have broken it.

The possible reform of the crime of sedition now appears as a reason for the rupture of the judicial pact.

Is an excuse. Two weeks ago, senior PP leaders publicly affirmed that the issue of the crime of sedition did not have to prevent the pact on the CGPJ. The reality is different: in Madrid they have been forced to back down.

Are you in favor of this reform of the Penal Code?

Yes. When the pardons were approved, with a great electrical storm, I was already favorable. As far as the crime of sedition is concerned, I am in favor of adapting Spanish legislation to the European environment. Allow me a question: is Spain better now than in 2017, in the midst of the Catalan crisis? It is clear that we are better off and that the path of dialogue, respecting the legal framework, is the right one.

In recent months you have raised your voice against the tax policy of the Community of Madrid, which you have described as dumping. At the same time, it has decided to carry out some tax reductions in the Valencian Community, in a different way from what the PSOE defended for all of Spain. Is it compatible to criticize the fiscal policy of Madrid and lower some taxes in Valencia?

They are two very different issues, and I'll let you know that I have never believed in Manichaeism, in any field. In addition to benefiting from being the capital, Madrid generates tax haven dynamics. I reaffirm it. This dynamic affects the market unit and I have to oppose it. Some taxes must be harmonized. In Valencia, what we have done is to provide fiscal support to the social majority that is currently living with greater difficulty. Our tax reform has not been done to harm anyone.

His policy, however, has collided with the general slogan of the PSOE of not lowering any taxes.

The decisions that affect the Valencian Community are adopted by the government that I preside over, and I say this with the utmost respect for the other instances. We have exercised our autonomy. We have acted within the scope of our responsibility. And I do not think I have entered into a line of contradiction with the policy of the Spanish Government.

Has this episode damaged your relationship with Pedro Sánchez?

I think not. There may have been some difficulty in understanding and surely some communication difficulties may have occurred. I see no damage.

Are you the last federalist left in Spain?

[Smile]. I don't know... I believe, and I reaffirm myself, that the most reasonable articulation of Spain goes through a federalization of the State of Autonomies. It would give more institutional stability, more territorial cohesion and would help to overcome the territorial inequalities that still exist in the territories.

Last Sunday, Andoni Ortuzar, president of the Basque Nationalist Party, declared to La Vanguardia that in the next legislature Euskadi and Catalonia should go hand in hand.

Yes, I read it, but I don't know exactly what it means. Everything that is seeking understanding seems very correct to me. The federal State that I defend could welcome singularities. The recognition of singularities does not have to be incompatible with common efforts and with the chronicity of inequality.

Ortuzar recalled that the Basque Statute is the only one that has not been renewed since 1979 and that the time for its reform is approaching. And he came to suggest that this review of Basque autonomy could coincide with the dialogue on the Catalan question, once the most critical moments had been overcome. You raise your hand and remember that it is pending to review the financing of the Valencian autonomy that you consider very unfair. Basque Country, Catalonia and Valencia. Are those three pieces compatible on the territorial board?

They should be, no exceptions. The assumption of differential facts should be compatible with the principles of fairness, solidarity and equality.

All this invites us to talk about his relationship with the Catalan authorities. What state are they in?

Relationships are respectful and cordial. I wish they could be narrower. Perhaps the latest events in Catalonia can, in some way, help stabilize the situation.

On the 17th, the annual act of the Valencian Association of Entrepreneurs in defense of the Mediterranean corridor will be held in Barcelona. On the previous occasion that this event took place in Barcelona, ​​the president of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Mr. Quim Torra, did not attend, nor did he send any delegation. Do you expect Pere Aragonés to attend the event?

I would like you to attend. It is a civil society initiative that must be supported, because the Mediterranean Corridor is essential for the Spanish and European economy, and of course it is essential for Catalonia, the Valencian Community, Murcia, Andalusia, and also for Aragon.

A week ago, the Valencian Minister of Public Works stated that Catalonia has not taken the Mediterranean corridor very seriously?

The Valencian Community has seen on many occasions a certain lack of interest on the part of Catalonia in what we can do together.

A few days ago Volkswagen sent out a disturbing signal, both for not being satisfied with the Government's Perte and for the Government's slowness in managing the project. Will the gigafactory in Sagunt be maintained?

Volkswagen has to say that, which is currently studying the Perte defined by the Spanish Government. This is the investment of the most important industrial investment in Spain at the moment, valued at more than 10,000 million euros, of which 3,000 are for the new Sagunt plant, with significant sums for Seat-Martorell and Navarra. I think the project will stand and I hope so.

Has the Ministry of Industry made a mistake?

It is not for me to answer that question.

The Botànic has reached a political agreement for the budgets of 2023 days after a crisis of the Consell that questioned its stability.

These budgets certify the stability in the Valencian Community, because they were also approved the same week in which we agreed on the tax reform.

These budgets have tried to alleviate the lack of investment by the State in Alicante. In this regard, civil society and businessmen in the province are on a war footing.

I understand Alicante's discomfort with the investments contemplated in the General State Budget for 2023 that we are already trying to modify via amendments, we are going to try to rebalance. I do not understand, however, the amendment to the totality that some propose. The abusive and reckless exercise, at the very least, of territorial exacerbation never gives good results. I find it surprising that some people, who have been linked to the Alicante Chamber of Commerce very directly and at the same time belong to the Popular Party, did not say anything during years of absolute investment drought by the Generalitat when the PP governed or not they demonstrated for the state budget.

Another sector that is in serious crisis is ceramics.

I believe that the Spanish government must be sensitive to this sector. It has been to a certain extent with some aid that has been given, but we must be aware of the strategic importance of this sector for the Valencian Community and for Spain.

Will the regional elections be held together with the municipal ones in May 2023?

If the circumstances do not change, the logic is to go along with the municipal ones. Could it be in April? Well, if the circumstances change, it could be, but it is not the case. But really, right now I'm not thinking about elections. There is a lot of electoral acceleration and what cannot be is that these remaining months be considered as garbage time, it is not my intention.

In a few months we have seen how two key women in the political project of the Botànic, who played a major role in changing the political cycle, such as Mónica Oltra and Mireia Mollà, are no longer in the regional executive. What has meant the loss in the Consell of these two referents of Valencian leftist politics?

Both Mónica Oltra and Mireia Mollà have contributed a lot to this project and I want to thank them for their enormous help; and I hope that in the future they can once again have a great political role, nothing is written about it. Contrary to what some say, there has been no crisis, because it has been seen that in just one week we have approved a fiscal reform and some budgets. What matters in the end are the policies, always respecting people.