“Patriotism is shown by agreeing, not by blocking the country”

Albert Dalmau (Barcelona, 1992) welcomes La Vanguardia after the Government finally approved its first budgets. They still need to be validated by the Parliament, but for the minister they represent a turning point after which he foresees a decade of stability for Catalonia.

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Let’s start with current affairs, how does the PSC view the situation of former president Zapatero?

Hoping that he can defend his innocence. For many, President Zapatero has been a reference for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, for the approval of same-sex marriage, for achieving peace and the end of ETA terrorism, or the dependency law. When one sees such a prominent political figure of the left and progressivism in our country, what one hopes is that this information can be clarified as soon as possible.

Is the Spanish legislature at risk?

I think this is a legislature that makes sense, that the continuity of President Sánchez is positive for Spain and for Catalonia. Therefore, I trust that the legislature can continue moving forward.

It has been difficult for Catalonia to have budgets. Was there ever a risk of early elections?

The arrival of President Illa was supposed to mark a new stage for the country, which to consolidate needed budgets. These budgets represent a decade of stability for Catalonia. We made a first attempt with the firm conviction that Catalonia had to be taken out of the deadlock. I am grateful for the commitment made by the progressive forces, both ERC and the commons. These budgets should mark the beginning of a decade of maximum ambition and stability for Catalonia.

Some of the agreements with ERC involve the central Government. Given the situation, do you see it feasible that what was agreed can be fulfilled?

Yes. If this legislature and President Illa demonstrate anything, it is that we want to move from a stage of confrontation to one of collaboration. I found myself in bilateral commissions that had not met for years. It is impossible to reach agreements like this, and without agreements it is impossible to advance the country. What we have agreed on we have been fulfilling: more mossos, more courts to address repeat offending, a new financing system… This further demonstrates the need for the continuity of President Sánchez in Spain, to make the great advances that Catalonia needs. Years of the Illa government and years of the Sánchez government are needed for this collaboration to be feasible. Fortunately, we have found a Government of Spain that is a friend of Catalonia.

Financing will need Junts to be approved in Congress. Do you see them willing? Do you talk to them about this?

I believe that agreeing is for the brave, and to move the country forward true patriotism is shown by agreeing, not blocking the country, and everyone is called to the effort to move the country forward. We need all Catalan political formations when it comes to issues that benefit Catalonia. It is true that in this case the support of Junts is needed to pass a new financing system but I think it would not be understood if Junts blocked a proposal of 4.7 billion for Catalonia. Junts is an important party in the country and I would like them not to decide to watch the party from the sidelines and to want to be part of the solution and not part of the problem. The attitude of blocking everything, criticizing everything and condemning the country to not advance I think is a bad recipe for Catalonia. Between 0 and 4.7 billion it is clear that Catalonia must decide to move forward. I would like Junts not to be an obstacle to advancing Catalonia, but to contribute to moving the country forward.

Isn’t it paradoxical that pro-independence parties like ERC make Catalan budgets depend on Madrid?

I think there is a central element. Do we want to fix the underfunding problem of our country? Yes or no? Do we want to face the security challenge? Yes or no? Do we want to toughen the Penal Code or increase courts to address repeat offending? To face this, it is necessary to reach agreements. It is necessary to reach agreements in Catalonia on those issues that strictly depend on Catalan institutions and it is necessary to advance self-government. I honestly believe that more progress is being made in self-government in these years than in previous years. Our will is to fully comply with the investiture agreements.

Will the IRPF be fulfilled?

Our goal is to fulfill what was agreed regarding the IRPF. We do those things that depend on Catalonia, which is to strengthen the Catalan Tax Agency, and in parallel, the necessary legislative modifications. Now we have set a priority agenda that involves ensuring the approval of financing and the cancellation of the FLA debt, fundamental elements for Catalonia to gain sovereignty, and then we will continue working to address the management of the IRPF with the Government of Spain. We still have different positions but we are working so that it can eventually become a reality.

Is it realistic to agree in the budgets on measures designed until 2040 like the orbital line?

The will of President Illa was to open a new stage for Catalonia and ensure a decade of stability in Catalonia. To overcome the stage of deadlock from the process to a stage of maximum ambition, this requires that our government plan means stability, great consensus, and a long-term country vision. And I honestly believe that a very important transformation is being addressed. We are doing things that had not been done in the last ten years. We have spent too long with Catalonia having a short-term view and we must move on to managing today’s problems but also planning the challenges of the coming years. We have gone from a country of 6 million to 8 million without doing the homework and now we need to do the homework to recover this lost time. If we want Catalonia to gain ambition, if we want to win the battle against our competitors, if we want to make the leap and regain economic leadership over Madrid and other European regions, we must put the country at full speed. I believe these budgets are a very important message, that now it is Catalonia’s turn to fly, to go out and win the future, with ambition.

Is it possible to execute this budget in five months?

Our wish would have been for this budget to be approved in January, and we must get the country used to approving budgets on time and in form. But it is true, we have a huge challenge which is how to execute a budget of nearly 50 billion in almost six months. But this is our goal. Last year we executed our investments around 90%, which is a very high figure.

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Is there a way to unblock the conflict with teachers?

The sincere will of the Government is to improve the educational system of our country. I think we all have to reflect on whether the education system in Catalonia is a system of excellence or not. We have reached an agreement of 2 billion euros that reduces ratios, reduces bureaucracy, increases teachers’ salaries and puts more resources into inclusive schooling. 2 billion euros represents 25% of the education budget, which comes from the taxes of all Catalans. I know there is a group of unions that emphasize remuneration conditions. We will maintain a dialogue, but we have updated salaries. When we arrived, teachers were the third worst paid in all autonomous communities, and we have reached an agreement to place them as the third best paid. But I think we would do well to focus efforts on ensuring that all the investment we make benefits improving the results of our educational system. And I think this reflection must be on the table. We will not leave the table, we will continue making proposals, but we ask that they be reasonable and manageable.

The Mossos have admitted that shootings have become normalized, does Catalonia have a serious security problem?

Here I send a message of maximum firmness. This is a Government that makes security policies one of its priorities. Therefore, maximum firmness and zero tolerance against violence, crime, and offenses. People who commit crimes in Catalonia must know that there is no space for them, that they will be pursued, arrested, and brought to justice. So much so that the figures support a 4% drop in crimes. Thefts have dropped by 6%, robberies with force in Catalonia have dropped by 10%, and our goal is this, but a hard hand against delinquency.

The crimes that do not decrease are those related to sexual violence…

This has a lot to do with a reflection we must make about education and values in our country. This is a cause for concern, especially in our society, when we see hate speech circulating again. That is why talking about security is left-wing and we claim that a progressive government faces security by putting more Mossos, more judges, and investing more in neighborhood plans.

When will users notice a real improvement in Rodalies?

We are at a turning point of the system to recover a railway network that was broken. We are making a transformation with maximum depth. I would like the first green shoots to begin to be seen during this year 2026 and to consolidate during 2027. This means that these more than 120 emergency actions carried out after the Gelida accident, in the maintenance area throughout the network, are coming to an end. Catalan society must know that this government is doing everything in its power to recover the system. It is true that the system was terrible in its service to the user, but the Government has embarked on a path of transformation, works, management model, and incorporation of new trains that should serve to stabilize the system once and for all. They must be aware that we are going through a painful moment to be able to finish with a better service.

Is the size of the areas of the Ministry of Territory a problem?

Not at all. I think it is an opportunity because in our country housing policies cannot be understood without urban planning, environment and energy without urban planning or mobility. The Government addresses dossiers that are interdependent, that previously did not communicate, in a single ministry to facilitate precisely their transformation. I think it is quite the opposite, that it is not a problem but an opportunity. And I also think Minister Peneque is more than capable of leading this transformation.

Will the minister be a candidate in Girona?

That question should be asked to her.

Is the solution to the housing problem only to build more and faster?

We must diversify… We are the community in Spain doing the most for housing. We are the ones who have put the most ambitious housing construction plan in our country. If we do not want our society to break, the main problem we must address is housing. A failed society will only lead to populism. The Government has made an ambitious plan to build housing because, again, the homework had not been done in Catalonia regarding public housing construction. But we have also put emancipation loans that mean we finance 20% of the down payment for a young family who wants to buy a home, and we also need all public-private collaboration mechanisms. However, starting a housing construction machine that has been stopped in Catalonia for the last 10 years takes time and this is the process we are in. To solve the housing problem, we need more flats, more trains, and more salaries.

President Illa demands that amnesty be applied quickly and without subterfuge. Why is it so important for the Government?

Because if we want to open a new stage we need all actors to be able to be part of that new stage. Therefore, it is important that President Puigdemont can return to Catalonia and decide how he wants to continue his political life. I think Catalonia wants to turn the page on the procés and to complete this change of stage it is important to fully apply the Amnesty law because Catalonia deserves to look forward and not backward. Junts is a great party in the country with a strong mayors’ presence, and when I talk to them I see that they want to reach agreements, to move the country forward, that they want us to increase the budget for the neighborhood plan, that they want us to have budgets, that they want the country to work. I think their parliamentary group and political party must reflect on whether they want to look at Catalonia from the blockade and the sidelines or if they want to be part of the country moving forward.

Will the alliance with Comuns and ERC continue beyond these budgets?

These budgets should mean a decade of maximum stability and maximum ambition for Catalonia, however, we must be able to support this legislature with ERC and the commons. Our hand is extended to these two political formations for the development of these agreements, and to the rest of the political formations to continue moving the country forward on other necessary issues. We defend a policy of open hand in which those formations that want to be useful to the country can make proposals and we can reach agreements. I defend the Catalonia of courage to reach agreements and not of those who block the country.

Can the growth of Aliança Catalana make the PSC or the Government and Junts get closer in the future?

Our fight against the far right, whether called Aliança Catalana or Vox, is based on addressing the country’s problems head-on. If together we make the country work, there will be no space for the far right. If when you ask for dependency aid you do not wait 400 days and we do it in 60 days, as the Government proposes, there will be no space for the far right. If we make the trains work, there will be no space for the far right. If we address security problems as we are doing and crimes go down and we explain it, there will be no space for the far right. And Junts must decide if they want to be part of the equation of those who want the country to work or want to be with those who want the country blocked. A blocked country will only be space for the growth of the far right and I think President Illa today is the best recipe against the far right and populisms throughout Catalonia.

Do you think you have demonstrated good management in these two years?

I defend it because I think management is demonstrated by facing problems head-on. For too long in our country problems have been looked at sideways or put under the rug and this Government addresses the country’s problems head-on. Fixing the country we found cannot be done in two days. But I honestly believe that after these four years we will leave the country better than we found it and better prepared to conquer the future. I think the volume of transformation being done in Catalonia is the greatest since the government of Pasqual Maragall, but that requires time and consistency.

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