MadridThe relations between the PSOE and Junts have not been going well for some time —they have avoided negotiation since the Junts members declared the investiture agreement broken—, but this Wednesday the spokesperson for Carles Puigdemont’s party in Congress, Míriam Nogueras, has raised her tone against the Spanish president. To the point of reproaching him that he has “been governing for too long without a majority” in the Spanish chamber and does not make any decisions: “What argument does he have left not to call elections?”.
Nogueras has reproached Sánchez for his government’s policies, which she believes do not improve the situation of Catalans, in addition to lamenting the “cases of corruption that surround him”, that “the regularization of migrants has been imposed” and that the quota for the self-employed has not been lowered. “You use Catalonia as a stage for propaganda and Salvador Illa swallows it as a Catalan president would never have allowed”, she stated, alluding to the progressive summit held last weekend in Barcelona with world leaders. “Did you explain that the Spanish progressives beat up Catalans who wanted to vote or that they govern in Barcelona thanks to the PP or that they have voted against investigating the abuses and murders of military service?”, Nogueras asked herself, to proclaim: “Catalonia is losing and we are paying the price in Spain”.
Pedro Sánchez did not like the tone of the Junts member at all. So much so that in his first reply, he moved on to answering her: “The control session is for answering questions. No problem in presenting answers to you”. “Speak louder, you can’t be heard well”, the Junts leader also replied, visibly annoyed.
For the Spanish president, there is no reason for Junts to renounce its government program and, unlike other times when he has moderated his tone with Puigdemont’s party, Sánchez has retorted: “I don’t know why it bothers you that we have convened governments to defend democracy against the reactionary wave. If you don’t like it, I’m sorry, but in Catalonia there are many left-wing voters and organizations that claim their existence and progressive commitment.” The Spanish president has denied the premise and has defended his policies against wars like those in Iran that do “impoverish.” And he continued: “And what problem do you have with regularization? What problem do you have in recognizing rights? Migration is contributing to economic growth.” “This government makes Catalonia and Spain better countries,” he concluded.