PP accuses Catalan government of political corruption over budget. A conflict has erupted in Catalonia over the timing of budget negotiations. The PP accuses Illa's government of political corruption and of prioritizing Andalusian elections over regional interests. At the center of the dispute is the influence on PSOE's position.
In Catalonia, the political conflict over the budget debate has intensified. The Partido Popular representative in the regional parliament, Juan Fernandez, accused Salvador Illa’s government of “political corruption.” According to him, negotiations with ERC over the budget were deliberately postponed until after the Andalusian elections, so as not to harm the position of the PSOE and candidate María Jesús Montero.
At the traditional Tuesday press conference, Fernandez stated that the schedule for negotiations between the Catalan government and Esquerra Republicana was completely subordinated to the interests of the Socialists in another region. He stressed that immediately after the elections held on March 17 ended, the parties again announced they had reached preliminary understandings, although there is still no official agreement.
Accusations against the government
According to Fernandez, any agreements between the PSC and ERC have a negative impact on María Jesús Montero, while key issues for Catalonia’s residents, such as the budget, become hostages to the interests of Pedro Sánchez and the PSOE at the national level. He called this practice "political corruption" and expressed dissatisfaction that decisions important for the region are made with an eye on electoral calculations elsewhere in the country.
During the budget discussion, Fernández also criticized the railway line project, which he believes was "invented" by coalition partners at the last minute. He argued that instead, the budget should have provided for a reduction in the tax burden. He described the budget negotiations as a “theatrical performance” hiding political maneuvering.
Criticism of the state of Catalonia
Fernández recalled that two years after Illa's election victory, the situation in Catalonia, in his opinion, has only worsened. He accused the president of the Generalitat of changing only the style of governance, but not the policy itself. Among the problems, he highlighted growing queues in the healthcare system, declining efficiency of administrative bodies, high tax pressure, and disruptions in the Rodalies service.
According to the PP representative, the regional government lacks leadership, a majority, or a genuine program, and its main aim is merely to maintain its image. He also pointed out that the authorities have still failed to approve the budget, despite all statements about progress in negotiations.
Context and parallels
The issue of accusations of political corruption and the subordination of regional decisions to party leadership is not new in Spanish politics. Earlier in Barcelona, a prosecutor opposed attempts to politicize judicial proceedings involving the Pujol family, pointing out contradictions between the public stance and actions concerning their assets. You can read more about this in the article on the investigation into the Pujol family.
