OPEN TRIBUNE
“Our city must not and cannot ignore our history, because our identity stems from it”
The city of Valencia wakes up today October 9 with the strength, verve and pride of being the capital of the Kingdom that King Jaume I conquered in 1238. 786 years have passed since the birth of our city and today we, the Valencians, will descend again in the streets to accompany our Royal Senyera and commemorate the reconquest of Jaume I and the beginning of our autonomous government.
October 9 is a day of unity and pride. Of the unity of the Valencian people and the pride of our history and our identity. It is for this reason that the Royal Senyera, symbol of the unity of our people, will once again enter the Cathedral to celebrate the Te Deum and thus commemorate the Christian reconquest of Jaume I the Conqueror.
Our city must not and cannot ignore our history, because our identity stems from it.
The city of Valencia has regained its self-esteem, that of loving itself, admiring itself and being respected. We are the children of a doubly faithful people: loyal to Valencia and loyal to Spain. This is how it is on our city’s shield, with a double “L” engraved in fire and which should be our guide to the challenges of today and the challenges of tomorrow.
The leading, hardworking and innovative Valencia that shines with the vitalist light captured by our most international painter, Joaquín Sorolla, has returned. Our city has major challenges to face and we are going to meet them in terms of economic sustainability (giving priority to the family economy), social (dealing with the housing problem and building 1,000 social housing units for our young people) and environmental ( carry out projects to become a friendlier city).
But we also have challenges brewing within central government that can torpedo the progress of our city and I am referring to single financing of Catalonia. The Catalan quota will break the common solidarity fund and our city, as well as the rest of the town halls throughout Spain, will suffer a significant economic loss that will prevent us from adequately financing public services that meet the needs of our neighbors.
For this reason, this Municipal Council has the firm intention of stopping this coup and we will defend our local autonomy before the Constitutional Court and before the Council of Europe, if the Catalan quota materializes. We will not allow discriminatory privileges against our city, because what is at stake is bread for today, but also bread for the future of Valencia.
We live in a under-resourced community (the worst) and we have compelling reasons to demand that the reform of regional financing take place at the same time as the reform of local financing. If we believe in the autonomous state and decentralization, one thing cannot go without the other.
The Valencian people will no longer accept the benefits that always come to them, to those who want to divide our country.
And it is for this reason that Valencia, as it is engraved on our crest, will face this new challenge of the double loyalty which is in our DNA: loyal to Valencia and faithful to Spain.
Because what we demand is a fair deal: We do not want more than our share, we want what is necessary to continue contributing to this common project that is Spain.
I hope that this spirit of union and demand will continue throughout October 9 and that you will all accompany the Royal Senyera, dignified and firm who bows to no one, in an atmosphere of peace and “Germanor” .
Happy October 9th.
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