The mayor of Valencia, Maria José Cataláannounced this Wednesday that he would appear before the Constitutional Court a conflict of defense of local autonomy to challenge it and defend the financing of municipalities in the event that the “Catalan quota materializes”.
Catalá explained that this concession to Catalonia would reduce the resources that reach the municipalities and for this reason he called on the rest of the mayors to unite and “defend the bread of today and tomorrow “.
During an informative breakfast at the Madrid New Economy Forum, presented by the mayor of the capital, José Luis Martinez AlmeidaCatalá stressed that “mayors have the obligation to stop” this quota, which is “a blow against municipalism”. “They will understand that I am not going to sit idly by while they deal us this blow,” she added.
In this sense, he announced that he would also ask the Council of Europe and, more specifically, to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe to investigate the Spanish government for violation of Article 4.6 and Art 9.6 of the European Charter of Local Self-Government.
This document, as explained, requires that companies be consulted in a timely and appropriate manner on all matters affecting them. Above all, that linked to resources.
The first mayor of Valencia explained that to present this conflict before the TC it is necessary that more municipalities join it. He confirmed that he had already discussed this matter with Madrid and she was “convinced that more would unite.”
During his speech, Catalá demanded reform of the system local financing. He also defended the reform of the autonomous system, but regretted that the central government had forgotten to also propose a change in the financing of the municipalities.
For the chef popularthis reform is “urgent” since the current model “condemns municipal councils to fight for crumbs”.
“The State collects, distributes between the autonomous communities and the last are the Town Halls. And if we put the Catalan quota in this equation, they will understand our concern,” he explained.
According to calculations by the economic team of Valencia City Hall, the solidarity fund would suffer a hole of approximately 23 billion euros with the concessions to Catalonia, which would mean, as he declared, a loss of income of 10% for the municipalities.
European Green Capital
On the other hand, Catalá denounced that the Central Executive did not approve the declaration of an event of exceptional interest for the European Green Capital that Valencia is organizing this year.
This recognition would mean a series of bonuses for companies that collaborate with capital. “It’s just a decree and it’s October and they haven’t granted it yet,” criticized the mayor, who recalled that she had approved this recognition for Formula 1 in Catalonia or the Copa América in Barcelona .
This shows, according to him, that Pedro Sánchez “only has his eyes fixed on part of Spain”.
