Jessica Albiach, the Comuns' parliamentary leader, has called for the new budget agreement with the Catalan government to show "more ambition and more sense of country". Speaking to reporters in Viladecans, Baix Llobregat, during the Sant Isidre fair, Albiach stated that the Comuns are not setting a timeline and intend to thoroughly evaluate all government proposals.
Albiach noted that the government "seems to be in a certain hurry to approve the budget". She reminded them that negotiations are ongoing to expand the budgetary agreement, which she views as a "legislature budget" that must serve not only 2026 but also 2027 and 2028.
Prioritising Housing and Mobility
According to Albiach, the budget should prioritise a "real leap" in housing. She proposed allocating €2.5 billion, combining direct government resources and funds from the Catalan Finance Institute (ICF), to this area. She also suggested doubling the annual call for the Neighbourhood Plan, which would mean intervening in 40 neighbourhoods each year with a total of €400 million. Additionally, Albiach called for urgent parliamentary processing of a law to accelerate the conversion of offices and commercial premises into housing.
Regarding mobility, Albiach described the Rodalia commuter rail network as a "minefield". She argued that the R-Aeroport line should not be solely for tourists and should be managed by Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat. It should also be accessible to local residents and extend to both Vallès Occidental and Vallès Oriental.
Tackling Inequality and Tax Reform
In the fight against inequality, the Comuns propose a parliamentary law, which would then go to the Spanish Congress, to implement the Zucman tax. This tax would require all fortunes exceeding €100 million to contribute "at least 2% in taxes". According to the Spanish Ministry of Consumer Affairs, this measure could raise approximately €5.2 billion for the state.
Supporting Teachers and Educational Negotiations
Addressing the teachers' protests, Albiach urged the government to present a firm proposal at the meeting with education unions. She stated that teachers "are not asking for privileges; in the end, what they are asking for are resources to do their job well". Albiach highlighted that Catalonia has experienced "decades of underfunding" and that classroom complexity "is increasingly greater". She expressed support for the protests and called on the government to reopen negotiations with a strong proposal to meet teachers' demands.
When asked about Junts' request for a national education agreement, Albiach demanded coherence from them. She reminded them that "a good part of the situation of disinvestment and underfunding in the educational world is due to the cuts made at the time by Convergència i Unió, which is now Junts".
Confidence in an Education Agreement
On whether the budget will be conditional on resolving the conflict between the education community and the Generalitat's Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, Albiach believes it was "necessary to give oxygen to these negotiations that are starting again". She added that "the most difficult thing has already been achieved, which is for the government and unions to sit down again". Albiach concluded, "I do not contemplate a scenario in which the government is incapable of reaching an agreement with the educational community."
