Carles Puigdemont's candidacy for the Catalan election has this Friday presented the first 100 measures it plans to implement if it succeeds in leading the next government of the Generalitat of Catalonia after May 12th. After denouncing the current state of paralysis in Catalonia, Puigdemont announced that his party proposes, in the first 100 days, to reactivate the country, carrying out what he has described as a reset or refoundation. Among the measures proposed by the Junts+ Puigdemont for Catalonia list are the modification of the LOFCA (Spanish law on autonomous community financing) to recognize the uniqueness of Catalonia's situation and facilitate the transfer of 100% of all taxes paid in Catalonia to the Generalitat government. This will be a condition, he asserted, for the passing of the Spanish government budget. The candidacy also proposes a review of the overall mix of taxes paid for the reduction and elimination of some taxes "if necessary". "The only ones who can pressure the Spanish government are us," he said.
In a press conference from Argelers (Northern Catalonia), accompanied by members of his candidacy, Puigdemont explained that the election programme is the result of listening to the different sectors and noting the paralysis and fragility that Catalonia is suffering from, something from which "the country needs to be reactivated", he said. The candidate spoke of making a "reset", a fresh start, and in some cases even of a process of refoundation, which must be based on a "firmness" with respect to the government in Madrid, taking "maximum advantage" of the importance of the pro-independence deputies in the majorities in Congress. "We are not having an affair with the PSOE, we have not fallen in love with the left. We want to serve Catalonia. We are going to Madrid to put the small or large amount of political capacity we have at the service of Catalonia's interests," he asserted.
The first chapter of these 100 measures addresses the need to boost the economy. In addition to the proposal on financing, Junts proposes to draw up a proposal to cancel the public debt of the Generalitat with the state, based on the balance sheet of budgeted investments that have not been executed, and to establish an annual compensation mechanism for this for future years. "So the state doesn't pay? We won't pay," responded Puigdemont, who warned that Catalans will pay the taxes they owe, because his proposal is not a fiscal dumping model. Likewise, he proposes to demand 19% of the EU Next Generation funds from the state, with retroactive effect. Puigdemont criticized that some taxes generate more debt than they collect and opted for an economic stimulus package with "fiscal measures that encourage investment and consumption".
Linguistic discrimination
In the section on language and culture, he expressed concern about the decline of the Catalan language, guaranteed that a Catalan government he leads will deal with the judicial offensive against education in Catalan and announced that the Generalitat will take part in the processes of linguistic discrimination. "We will not be passive. We will go to all of them and defend the model of linguistic immersion and education in Catalan. The impunity of those people who breach linguistic rights has ended. We will act alongside the victims," the candidate assured, stressing that "the Generalitat cannot look the other way because it feels uncomfortable".
In this respect, the Junts+ programme also advocates for public sector staff to use Catalan in their communication with citizens and to have C1 and C2 (proficiency-level) certificates in Catalan. In fact, the public administration occupies a chapter of its own in these first hundred measures, given that Junts proposes to facilitate the relationship with citizens and reform the administration.
Barcelona-El Prat airport
Regarding Catalonia's infrastructures, the Puigdemont candidacy calls for the transfer and management at Catalan level of infrastructures of general interest: airports, the road network and the rail network. In relation to the last-named, he warned that "there are [commuters] at the moment who are losing their jobs because of the train delays"; while with regard to El Prat airport, he asserted that it does not have the conditions that Catalonia needs, and a solution must be found, which will have to be proposed by the best experts - and, as president, he will "consult them and not look the other way". "We can't wait any longer, El Prat airport is falling behind. There are those who want to turn it into runway of Madrid-Barajas," he warned.
The first hundred measures also include proposals aimed at farmers, territorial cohesion and the demographic balance.