Pedro Sánchez: The Government pledges to respect Catalonia's culture and language, improve funding and redouble investment in infrastructure

Catalonia Congress Palace, Barcelona

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, during his speech at the 39th Annual Meeting of the Cercle d'Economia (Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa)

Pedro Sánchez has made four commitments of the Executive with Catalonia at the beginning of the new Catalan legislature: to respect the history and support the Catalan language and culture, to redouble investment in infrastructure, to maintain the commitments made with the Generalitat of Catalonia and "better and greater" funding. This was stated by Pedro Sánchez during the closing ceremony of the 39th Annual Meeting of the Cercle d'Economia, held in Barcelona.

In addition to the Government of Spain's respect for the history of Catalonia and its support for the Catalan language and culture, the Executive will redouble investment in infrastructure in Catalonia with "agile tools", such as entrusting management and maintaining the momentum in the execution of strategic works, such as the Mediterranean Corridor, as well as redoubling its efforts in the Rodalies (commuter train) network. It will also maintain the commitments acquired with the Generalitat of Catalonia in areas such as debt cancellation and the transfer of powers to develop Catalonia's self-government.

Likewise, the Central Government is committed to Catalonia, as with the rest of the territories, to improve funding, following the principles established in the Statute and validated by the Constitutional Court. "All in our mutual interest, because if Catalonia is stronger, Spain will be stronger. This is the commitment of the Government over which I preside", said Pedro Sánchez, who agreed that Catalonia cannot "allow itself the luxury of a repeat election".

A future full of opportunities in Catalonia

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, along with other attendees at the closing of the 39th Annual Meeting of the Cercle d'Economia | Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

The president of the Government of Spain has conveyed a message of "profound gratitude" to the Cercle de Economía because "it supported the validity of values that are characteristic of Catalan society", such as "dialogue, coexistence and encounter". In the face of recent years of uncertainty due to the political climate in Catalonia and predictions of a recession in the Spanish economy, he welcomed the "harmony between Catalans, confidence in the solidity of the Spanish economy and a firm European vocation".

Now, "there is confidence in a future full of opportunities" for a Catalonia that "is involved in the progress and construction of a Spain that is politically plural and territorially diverse" and that "will lead the construction of an open and tolerant, dynamic and competitive Europe", he said, quoting the former Italian Prime Minister, Enrico Letta. He also thanked the people of Catalonia "for their willingness, expressed in the last Catalan elections, to commit themselves to leading the construction of Spain and Europe, which is necessary for the progress of our societies and so necessary in the world".

"The Catalonia that today leads the deployment of European funds to modernise its productive fabric and reindustrialise its economy", he added, to then refer to the reunion achieved in Catalonia after the political uncertainty of recent years and the report by the Moody's risk rating agency that confirmed that the result of the Catalan elections reduces the risks for the Catalan and Spanish economies.

Today Catalonia and Spain inspire confidence

"Today Catalonia and Spain inspire confidence", Pedro Sánchez emphasised, alluding to the structural reforms achieved through agreement and social dialogue in the areas of employment, education, science and pensions which, together with European funds, "are changing the production model, expanding growth and making progress in fiscal consolidation".

He also highlighted the "influential voice in Europe" of Spain and Catalonia with the High Representative, Josep Borrell, the President of the European Investment Bank, Nadia Calviño, and the Vice-President for Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera.

He indicated that the main institutions have revised their growth forecasts upwards and "accredit a Spanish model of success that works", as Spain leads growth among the five large European economies, surpasses the record of 21 million people affiliated to Social Security, creates 4 out of every 10 new jobs in the European Union and reduces temporary employment to the European level. In turn, he celebrated the fact that in Catalonia youth unemployment has been reduced by six points since 2018, unemployment has fallen from 12.2% to the current 9.5% and there are almost half a million more workers, while employment and productivity per hour worked are growing simultaneously, for the first time in more than three decades.

The president of the Government of Spain also pointed out that Spain is leading the way in the execution of European funds, with emblematic projects in Catalonia, such as the promotion of electric vehicles, in the field of microelectronics, with the commitment to the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), and in the design of microprocessors. "Catalonia is the second largest community in demographic terms and in terms of its contribution to national GDP. It has everything to lead at European level, reindustrialisation and, above all, you, a dynamic business community open to innovation that believes in its land", he assured.

For this reason, he called on Catalan businessmen and women to continue "united, pulling the cart and leading by example" as in recent "difficult years", to face challenges such as boosting competitiveness and working for education and training of human capital, the promotion of research and science, infrastructures, taking advantage of the possibilities of Artificial Intelligence, and the reform of the Administration. Finally, he thanked the Catalan businessmen and women for their commitment to democratic principles and the welfare of citizens, "the commitment to Catalonia, Spain and Europe", at a time when democracy is "threatened by histrionic and reactionary characters who want to take us back to the past".

Finally, the head of the Executive expressed his condolences and the solidarity of Spanish society for the deaths of four people in yesterday's accident in Palma de Mallorca and his wishes for a speedy recovery for the injured.

Non official translation