The Junts candidate for the mayoralty of Barcelona, Xavier Trias, has stated that he is indignant about not being invested as mayor of the city on Saturday, although he clarified that "personally, I am fine". Trias explained that he found out that he would not be mayor of the city one hour before the plenary session on Saturday: "I heard it on the radio, they didn't call me". It is, precisely, this way of doing things that he criticized: "It is shameful because we had agreed that they would call me in advance if they changed their decision, I still hope they will call me. It is an action that I think is a disgrace for them and they are hiding their heads in shame". In an interview this Monday on Catalan public TV, he accused the new mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, of being someone you can't trust. "Can anyone believe Mr. Collboni? What Collboni is saying these days just can't be believed at all." In this regard, he recalled that it was Collboni who allowed the Manuel Valls operation four years ago: "He has carried out dishonest operations", he said.
Xavier Trias acknowledged that he has not spoken to Collboni, nor to any of the other candidates. "I don't have much interest in talking to anyone. They don't deliver on anything they promised, it's amazing." Trias assured that the pact between the PSC, Comuns and the PP was made with the sole purpose of "preventing the mayor from being, as they put it, an independentist". During his speech he stated that the current electoral system is not a "good" one, given that "in cases like this it can be seen that it allows a kind of strange negotiations that are not good for democracy, I think it would be better to have a second round of voting". In this regard, he regretted that people end up disappointed with the result, so much so that he stated that if a survey was done with the people of Barcelona now "70 or 80% of the people would say that they are not happy about "how the mayoralty of Barcelona was won".
Xavier Trias will resign as councillor
The candidate who stood under the Trias for Barcelona banner confirmed that he will resign and will not continue in the city council, but he affirmed that he must first "consolidate and put order" into his municipal group. "It's a firm decision, I won't stay for four years, but I don't know how many days or months I'll be there", he explained. So, he remarked that he will make the decision with his party and with his candidacy, which needs to be "infused with strength" after Saturday's "shaking". Trias believes that his retirement has now been earned again, and hopes to enjoy a "fantastic" summer. In fact, he said that in a few days he will be travelling. In a humorous tone, he noted that "I'm not Mr Biden, luckily I have a life outside politics."
After ruling out standing on the list for Spain's July 23rd election, he stated that he has told the party that they can count on his help for the campaign "to tell the truth and the way of behaving that some people have in governing the country". Regarding a possible pact between Together for Catalonia (Junts) and the Catalan Socialists (PSC) in the Barcelona provincial council, he affirmed that he has "great respect" for the mayor of l'Hospitalet, the Socialist Núria Marín, because "she is a person who keeps her word". In the same vein, he also said that he has "great respect" for Cornellà municipal head Antoni Balmón. "If they listened to me... I am not opposed to such a pact. That I am angry and indignant does not mean that we are not intelligent in life. We can't ignore the world, we must be able to govern and take things forward", he summed up.
Trias calls for punishment for the PSOE and PP on 23rd July
Looking ahead to the Spanish snap election, Trias asked people to punish them and not vote for them. "People must understand that voting for the PP and PSOE in Catalonia is a disaster. They are people who do not want to build a good understanding with Catalonia." And he reiterated that "people must be clear that these people should not be voted for". Regarding the discourse of the PP, which claimed that they could not allow Barcelona to be governed from Waterloo - residence of Carles Puigdemont - he reflected that "I know that they are they are the people who made up the invention that I had 12 million euros abroad, back in the day, they are people who are willing to do anything in order to destroy".
Analyzing the situation the PP is experiencing, he assured that "I feel bad" because as regards the leader of the People's Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, "I didn't think of him that way". Trias lamented that "when they have power they become hooligans and take decisions that are not only against the independence movement, but against Catalonia. Attacking Catalonia gives them electoral results".