President Pedro Sánchez held a press conference to review the political year and announced that the pact with ERC to invest Socialist politician Salvador Illa as President of Catalonia represents a step towards the federalization of the Spanish autonomous state. The pre-agreement establishes a fiscal pact for Catalonia, allowing the region to handle 100% of tax collection and inspection tasks, with a limited solidarity quota based on the principle of ordinality. Sánchez defended the pre-agreement as a positive development for Spain and Catalonia, making all Socialists eager to see Illa as President of the Generalitat. The agreement requires changes to the current financing system for autonomous regions, which must be approved in Congress.
The president also addressed criticism from Emiliano García-Page, President of Castilla-La Mancha, who expressed his disagreement with the pact. Sánchez dismissed these criticisms, highlighting the unanimous approval of the agreement within the Socialist executive. The president emphasized the importance of an independent party like ERC committing to territorial solidarity and normalizing the situation in Catalonia. He stated that the agreement signifies the end of the pro-independence movement and a new chapter for the region. Sánchez emphasized the government’s efforts to rebuild bridges with Catalonia, contrasting it with the right-wing’s fear-mongering about territorial unity.
Regarding the agreement’s potential impact on other regions, Sánchez expressed his passionate support for the deal with ERC, believing it to be beneficial for both Catalonia and the rest of Spain. He hinted at potential bilateral negotiations with other regions if they seek similar treatment. However, he stressed that the negotiation and agreement on a new system for regional financing would require a multilateral approach. Sánchez also touched on international issues, such as Spain recognizing the state of Palestine and monitoring the situation in Venezuela. He criticized the right-wing’s inconsistent stance on refugee acceptance based on nationality.
Sánchez addressed the controversy surrounding the investigation into his wife by emphasizing the government’s commitment to defending institutional rights. He dismissed the investigation as a non-issue and criticized the opposition for lacking substantive arguments against the government’s policies. The president touted Spain’s economic growth and employment figures as signs of progress and mocked the opposition for their pessimism. He expressed confidence in the government’s ability to navigate the complexities of the political landscape and outlined plans to present the budget for 2025 in the latter half of the year, signaling a commitment to advancing Spain’s development over the next three years.
