Maria José Catalá: “The government is not playing fair with unaccompanied minors”

María José Catalá is the mayor of Valencia, the third capital of Spain and, at the same time, the most important public administration in the country in which the PP and Vox govern in coalition after the rupture at the regional level. A year after the agreement in the City Council, he defends having built a solid enterprise, “far from populism” and based “on actions and not on words” that could only be truncated from Madrid by a direct order en bloc from Santiago Abascal. In addition, the first “popular” mayor reproaches the government of Pedro Sánchez for “not playing fair” with the arrival of unaccompanied minors and for having perpetrated a Catalan quota that “breaks the common fund” and “leaves the crumbs to the municipalities”. .” ».—What is the assessment of your first year of government with Vox?—It took us a while to adapt, there were better times and worse times, but now it works properly. We have a serious government of professionals who manage and think of Valencia first. —What is the current relationship with your partners? —It is completely normal. The pessimists said that with Vox a low-emission zone could not be approved, for example, and it is one of the few cities in Spain that already has its ordinance in place and we have done it hand in hand. —Vox has already verbalized it. It depends on the municipal governments for a decision taken from Madrid.—I feel that it has nothing to do with daily life or with fulfilling the commitments we make. The scenography of the block decision that they have taken at the regional level has left a clear message, that there has been no problem with the pacts, but that they were only responding to a political strategy. MORE INFORMATION The new No Catalá draws the attention of the City Council. to the neighborhoods and districts of Valencia with the reorganization of their government team—Are you afraid of the rupture in Valencia?— I am not from Vox and I do not know what is happening there. I imagine that they will have their analyses and make their own decisions, but what I believe is that the parties, when we run for elections, commit to the people to change things and this can only be done by governing, because from the outside it is very easy to talk about management. So it would be very difficult to explain to the citizens why you are not trying if you have the possibility. — What should the PP do so that it does not need Vox to govern? — We are already on that path. We have gone from a stage of multi-coloured parliaments to a situation where the voter is once again regrouping around the PP and the PSOE and the democratic dynamic that has given us the best years of coexistence and stability in Spain. We must concentrate all the sensibilities of the centre-right and explain to them that we make difficult decisions out of honesty and demonstrate it with actions and not words. That is what will differentiate us from Vox. — Something more complicated in terms of management. — Of course, doing politics from the opposition is much easier than when you are managing. And populism is useless when you are governing. Vox subordinates its support to measures against illegal immigration. Is that a real problem? — Yes, this summer we have seen how much the situation has worsened in the big cities. We are overwhelmed, but the main problem here is that the government is not being serious and fair with the arrival of unaccompanied minors, who are sometimes sent without warning and without being able to create a social structure to care for them. Mayor of Valencia, María José Catalá, during the interview with ABC Mikel Ponce—It is a complex issue.—I am a mother of two children and I understand the emotional backpack that these minors carry, so we must be supportive and welcoming, but we must be honest with reality and that is that the government is not telling the whole truth, it is not helping us and in addition it is demagogic by saying that it is the cities and communities that do not support us. ask the government of Pedro Sánchez for Valencia? — I summarize it in two words: money and affection. At least one thing or another.—What needs to be clarified?—What does not cost money is that Valencia is the European Green Capital in 2024 and the government in September has not yet declared it of exceptional interest and, in addition, Of this, the height of hypocrisy is that it does it with other events in Barcelona such as the Copa América or the Formula 1 Grand Prix. – Is it possible to approach local financing with the obstacle of the Catalan quota? – The Catalan quota has broken the common fund of territorial solidarity and the municipalities are going to be left with the crumbs. If there are privileges, we all suffer… — What alternative does the Valencia City Council propose? — It is imperative to reform the local financing system and the debate must be opened at the same time as the regional one, because without it In the city halls, the first line of the social shield falls. We provide many services, some with inadequate powers, and we need adequate funding, independent of the regional level, to respond to our neighbours. To do this, we propose to amend the Local Treasury Act. — What are its main issues? — Housing is an obsession for me. In twelve months, we have delivered 38 affordable rental apartments, whereas the previous government delivered only 31 in eight years. — Has the Housing Act failed? — Yes. The cap on rental prices is a crude measure that has never worked. The left has done nothing for housing and the problem we face today is a direct consequence of its ineffectiveness.

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