Catalonia continues to maintain a high level of spending on the salaries of executives at state-run organizations. According to the latest data, €18.8 million is allocated annually for the remuneration of top managers in various entities connected to the autonomous government.
The network of state companies, consortiums, and foundations controlled by the Generalitat has long drawn criticism from both the opposition and parts of society. Despite political changes in power, the structure and size of these organizations have remained largely unchanged. The new head of Catalonia’s government, Salvador Illa, who previously advocated for cutting administrative expenses, has yet to implement these plans in practice.
According to the budget drafted in 2024, there are 207 state organizations in Catalonia, whose maintenance costs nearly €4.82 billion annually. This list includes both medical consortiums and foundations dedicated to preserving historical memory or promoting Catalan culture. In addition to the substantial overall expenses, these entities are often viewed as a means to appoint loyal personnel to senior positions.
In response to a parliamentary inquiry, the Catalonian government confirmed that a total of 18.8 million euros is allocated annually solely for the salaries of 200 executives overseeing 125 organizations. Among the highest-paid positions is the director of the Catalonian Institute of Finance, who receives more than 151,000 euros per year. Heads of the Agency for Cultural Heritage, Memorial for Democratic Values, Telecommunications Center, and other key institutions also receive six-figure salaries.
For example, leading the Catalonian Youth Agency comes with a salary of nearly 98,000 euros, while the director of the university services consortium receives around 110,000 euros. Executives at the energy institute, lottery authority, port services, and meteorological service are also among the region’s highest-paid public managers.
In 2023, the Socialists pledged to reduce the number of such organizations by 10% in exchange for budget support from the Republicans, but this promise was never fulfilled. Moreover, over the past year, the number of institutions increased, and spending on their maintenance grew by almost half a billion euros.
The opposition in the Catalonian parliament points out that the current government is continuing the policies of previous administrations by maintaining an extensive network of public organizations and offering high salaries to their executives. Critics argue that this does not improve the quality of public services, but only increases bureaucracy and costs for residents of the region.
The need to reform the system of public organizations and optimize spending remains one of the most pressing issues on Catalonia’s political agenda. Meanwhile, the structure and funding of these institutions continue to grow, despite previous statements about the need for change.
