Esquerra Republicana has waited until the final stretch of the budget negotiation with the Catalan Executive to reveal its cards on the so-called “sovereignty gesture,” an advance beyond the accounts that imply Catalonia moving further in self-government. The republicans now point to a reformulation of the governance of the Consortium of the Barcelona Free Zone (CZFB) so that the Generalitat and the Barcelona City Council together hold a majority. Until now, the reins of the entity have been held by the State. The announcement comes on the eve of the President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, and the leader of ERC, Oriol Junqueras, jointly presenting this Monday, in Sant Sadurní de Anoia, the project for the orbital train line
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The ERC proposal, which will have to go through the Bilateral Commission held this week, implies that the joint participation of the Generalitat and the capital’s City Council adds up to 55%, while the central Government would hold 45%. Specifically, the Government of the Generalitat would have more than 40% of the representation, compared to up to 15% of the City Council. Currently, the presidency is held by Jaume Collboni, mayor of Barcelona, and the executive direction falls to the socialist Pere Navarro, who is the State’s Special Delegate and Vice President.
This change in the governance model of the Consortium, created in 1916, aligns with the republicans’ request for a gain in autonomy in Catalonia. The proposal of this point was put on the table after the decision to shelve the transfer of IRPF management, which although the Govern also wants, now faces rejection from the central Executive. It is a new issue, as the PSC – ERC investiture agreement does not mention specific measures about it.
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The republicans insist that they are not only seeking “a seat” but also a change in the conception of the Consortium. That entity, as of today, manages industrial and logistics land, attracts investments, promotes reindustrialization, and leads urban transformation projects. These are functions that ERC considers should be under Catalan tutelage and overlap with those carried out by institutions like Incasol. Another point that makes it desirable to have control of the CZFB is that it lives off monetization of its own assets, not subsidies, which gives it enviable financial autonomy.
Sources from the party leadership explain that this new concession will also be discussed and put to a vote at the National Council that the republicans hold this Monday. There the State’s commitment to the orbital railway line that would connect the cities of the second metropolitan ring of Barcelona will also be validated. A project that precisely will be presented this Monday by president Salvador Illa and the ERC leader Oriol Junqueras at an event in Sant Sadurní de Anoia (Barcelona).
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