He CERCLE D’COMIA Next week, he celebrates his traditional annual meeting in Barcelona. This year, the Association days are focused on European problems in restoring political and economic weight in the face of a change in the script in the USA and the insurmountable promotion of China. This is also the last meeting organized in accordance with the presidency of Jaum Guardiola. Former Bankero headed the organization over the past three years. In this interview, Guardiola considers the Catalan, Spanish and European political scene.
By the latest note, before the annual meeting CERCLE D’COMIA Ask Europe to wake up. But Europe is not a unique organization, but a club from 27 countries. So who should wake up?
Everyone should awaken, as well as citizens and civil society to claim politicians who have the opportunity to reach agreements, at least, the minimum agreements. One of the problems of Europe is its management, in the sense that decisions are made unanimously, and that is why it costs a lot in order to change the situation. Today, if you look, there is an alternative majority for the classics that supports a commission created by popular, socialists, liberals and green. This alternative majority adds to popularity and three groups of the extreme right. And in the Council you have four countries that are controlled by extreme right games and, therefore, have the ability to block.
Political leaders acting under the influence of Donald Trump.
What is happening is that I got the impression that the use of the Trump administration may be an element that allows you to get some agreements that seemed impossible some time ago. As in the deepening of a single market, that is, the integration of energy, telecommunications and financial systems, which are three basic requirements to avoid fragmentation and achievement of the scale that gives you competitiveness. Many of the countries that declare themselves anti-European or who want to return the national authorities, in this issue they rather stand for. Maybe because they saw a little wolf. That is, I believe that there are some places, but, as always, Europe is made on the basis of fear, at a time when existential crises are created that changes.
But should Washington be broken? Wouldn’t it be better to see how the situation is developing, instead of turning the back to the United States? You want or not many economic, cultural relations … between Europe and the USA.
We are not talking about rejecting our backs in the United States, but about rethinking relations when you understand that certain advantages have become vulnerable. Already during Obama, in the first mandate of Trump, then with Bayden … The United States said that he should turn his geopolitical interests in the Asia -Tikhoocaan region. This is a message that we have already heard that we had to learn before. That is, Europe should look for life alone. This makes a more multipolar relationship with all those with which trust and agreements can be established. This is not a gap of approach to the United States, on the contrary.
But then we must look for agreements with countries that have neither our value system nor our institutions.
Trump also changes the rules of the game on the values system. In this sense, Europe should appreciate its protection of liberal democracy. It is possible that I am bothering me more about Trump is not a commercial war that we will see how this is ultimately translated, but institutional deterioration in the United States as a result of a certain policy. This is more dangerous in terms of this communication of values.
In this context of Spain without budgets and without most for the implementation of legislative projects.
This is very paradoxical. Spain has very positive macro dates who supply us as an example in many forums. To such an extent that the IMF, once to correct the growth of the world, was slightly corrected by the growth of Spain. This lives with a sense of political operation, which, indeed, there are no budgets. And this is not the first time, there is an accumulation of time without budgets. And there is no way to formulate many legislative initiatives. Therefore, this is a government that has this fragility. But it is also true that it is very difficult to form an alternative to the government without elections. This is the moment when this situation is held. This is not a positive situation.
Should I call the elections?
This is a difficult question. How long can you be without a budget? We heard statements from both the current government leader and from the leaders of the opposition, saying that if the budgets cannot be completed, the elections must be executed. It is true that we come from election processes so often that this is not best for the stability of the country. In the end, this is a very difficult question.
How do you see the situation in Catalonia? Illa was already eight months old.
We see Government This has a full agenda and controls. This is the obligation that he took, and I also think that in the mood of the country. This need for management in a few years, in which we were a little ourselves. The plan presented by the president Control higher. This is that citizens value that changes in the government do not imply the undertaking of everything from zero. It is also true that Ill does not have a clear majority or budgets. And therefore, this impedes management, and some elements are already beginning to demand answers, such as the financing model. But our assessment is positive in the sense that she really wants to face problems.
Why will not more companies return to Catalonia?
More places. I think that they return, and the places will also return if we leave quiet companies to find time to do this, it does not have to be a large public party. I also believe that there were many companies in the body and soul of the companies that moved, but there were also many that were patrimonial societies. I do not believe that they should be pressed to the public, for example, when there were talk about finding incentives for returning or punishments for those who did not do this.
He used to talk about financing, on the question of which Service He presented his ideas. Does the agreement between PSOE and PP consider it possible that regulates most autonomies?
It would be fantastic, but it seems difficult for me. In the investment package that must be fulfilled, obligations are signed, such as the extension of the liability of the Catalonia tax agency for the collection of all taxes. In 2026 there is an IRPF obligation. Time works, and it is not easy to do. This should be done with many guarantees, because the ability to collect or effectiveness of public administration cannot be lost. We must see what tax distribution model is, since the investment pact allows many possible solutions. Historically, we have always sponsored the joint use of tax bases. And then the scheme of solidarity, which should be implemented in relation to the principle of orderly and with the criteria for appointing one inhabitant, not adjusted.
That is, without taking into account the dispersion or age of the population.
I am not telling you that adjustments should not be introduced. But the first should be the cost of life, which is much more important than the rest. Consequently, an independent authority can be requested that can build a adjustment formula that collects everything or the simplest to do it for residents. And then there is forgiveness of duty, which seems good for us, but has a moral risk. This should be justified for some historical reason, so that it is not established that every time it passes, there will be a condom.
I return to the position of paragraphs. Its leader, Alberto Nunez Feihoo, will take part in days. For their conversation with popularity, what do they think about the reform of financing?
The model has expired and should be reform. In fact, many presidents of autonomous communities affected by condonation said that it should be associated with the new financing model. This is an important problem for the country’s cohesion, because the 2009 model, which was supposed to be updated in 2014, and we were in 2024 … The expired ten years is a democratic failure. This affects two great games. Sometimes we can think that if territorial problems concern so much as it is possible that two sides disagree that, unlike many European states, have a parliamentary majority?
