In his first public appearance at the start of the new political term, the president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, wanted to send a message of firmness in the face of the multiple and colossal challenges that Catalonia faces. In his speech during the working sessions that the Catalan Executive is holding this Friday and Saturday at the Monestir de les Avellanes in Os de Balaguer (Lleida), the head of the Government warned that an intense political term is coming in which he will make “decisions” that are crucial, that “will shape and determine the next decade,” and that will generate “noise,” “confrontation,” gesticulation, and “even falsehoods, from the opposition.
“We will face great challenges and decisions that will shape and determine the next decade. We will make decisions in this political term that will have consequences for the next ten years,” Illa predicted, highlighting among them “guaranteeing peace and security in Europe, approving a new autonomous financing system, executing every last euro of the most ambitious budget in the history of the Generalitat, guaranteeing access to housing, improving education, infrastructure, and enhancing forest protection.” These “are just some examples, perhaps the most relevant,” he warned.
And given the significance of the decisions, and perhaps the controversy they may generate, the president warned that “the noise will be intense and continuous,” so that “some will want to fuel confrontation and will have no scruples in attacking Catalonia,” but “we are already used to it,” he downplayed. Illa also warned that “others will take advantage to weaken the country and not to add efforts,” and that many “will shout, gesticulate, and even tell falsehoods.” But faced with these attitudes, the president promised that the Government will continue “working at full speed, fulfilling the priorities, the course, and the country model” that he proposed at the start of the mandate, where “the common good will prevail above all and everyone.”
Illa did not specify any of his plans, but the new political term in Catalonia has not started calmly for the Government. To the problems that have been dragging on for months, such as the constant deficiencies of Rodalies and the crisis in the educational field, which remains with the teachers’ strike scheduled for the start of the term, this summer has added the proliferation of fires and the controversy around the lack of mass warnings during the recent torrential rains in Tarragona, which have left two victims. The Government has wanted, however, to undertake its formal return to work by focusing on forest management in light of the new reality posed by climate change.
Forest Management
The Government and the four provincial councils sign for the first time a protocol to promote coordinated forest management
In Os de Balaguer, Illa and the presidents of the four provincial councils have promoted an institutional cooperation protocol for sustainable forest management and fire prevention. It aims to establish a stable collaboration framework to plan, coordinate, and strengthen protection and citizen security in the territory. The signing of this agreement will allow better management of Catalonia’s public forest territory, which totals 92,618 hectares, of which 33,035 correspond to wooded area. This is the area in which the Government can act directly, since Catalonia has more than 1.1 million hectares strictly of forest and more than 2 million hectares of total forest area, according to Idescat data corresponding to 2023.
The Generalitat has progressively increased its capacity to act, going from managing 400 hectares annually in 2024 to 600 hectares in 2026. With the new strategy, an unprecedented scale leap is intended that will allow tripling the managed area to reach 2,000 hectares annually by 2029.
Catalonia has had two especially harsh summers in terms of fires. To the fires in Segarra and Baix Ebre in 2025, which cost the lives of three people, this year have been added those in Les Gavarres (Baix Empordà) that burned 2,200 hectares, and another half a thousand smaller fires.
Immigration
“secure borders but also welcome. Order and values”
Illa emphasized the need to act against climate change, to promote science, and highlighted “the value of welcome and integration.” After warning that “protecting the forests is a national duty that affects us all” and that “those who deny climate change put our lives at risk,” he explicitly referred to the political controversy generated by the situation in Ceuta. The president advocated for “secure borders but also welcome.” “Order and values,” he summarized before pointing out that Catalonia will protect “the value of welcome and integration.”
“These days I have seen how some view dramas and emergencies with a short-sighted perspective, and this is not the way. Catalonia will always act with solidarity, rigor, and responsibility,” he promised.
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