Jéssica Albiach, the leader of the Comuns in the Catalan Parliament, stated on Sunday in Viladecans, Barcelona, that the new budget agreement with the Generalitat requires "more ambition and more sense of country". Speaking to journalists at the Sant Isidre fair, Albiach indicated that the Comuns are not setting a timeline and plan to carefully evaluate all proposals from the Catalan government.
Albiach noted that the government appears to be in a hurry to approve the budget. She reminded reporters that negotiations are underway to expand the budget agreement, which is now seen as a legislative budget, meaning it should cover 2026, 2027, and 2028.
Prioritising Housing and Mobility
For Albiach, this budget must prioritise a "real leap" in housing policy. She suggested allocating €2.5 billion for housing initiatives, combining direct resources from the Generalitat and the Institut de Finances de Catalunya (ICF). She also proposed doubling the Pla de Barris programme annually, which would involve interventions in 40 neighbourhoods each year with a budget of €400 million. Additionally, she called for an "urgent and necessary" law in Parliament to speed up the conversion of offices and commercial premises into housing.
Regarding mobility, Albiach described the Rodalies network as a "minefield". She believes the R-Aeroport line should not be exclusively for tourists. Instead, she argued it needs to be managed by Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat and accessible to local residents, extending its reach to Vallès Occidental and Vallès Oriental.
Tackling Inequality and Supporting Teachers
In the fight against inequality, the Comuns propose a law in the Catalan Parliament, which would later be taken 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 Ministry of Consumer Affairs, this could generate approximately €5.2 billion for the state.
Albiach also addressed the ongoing teachers' protests, urging the government to present a firm proposal at its meeting with education unions. "They are not asking for privileges; ultimately, what they are asking for are resources to do their job," she said. She added that Catalonia has experienced decades of underfunding in education, leading to increasing complexity in classrooms. The Comuns support the mobilisations and call on the government to reopen negotiations with a strong proposal to meet these demands.
When asked about Junts' call for a national education agreement, Albiach requested coherence. She pointed out that "a good part of the situation of disinvestment and underfunding in the educational world is due to the cuts that Convergència i Unió, which is now Junts, practised at the time."
On the question of whether the budget will be conditioned on resolving the conflict between the education community and the Generalitat's Department of Education and Vocational Training, Albiach believes it is important to "give oxygen to these negotiations that are starting again." She expressed optimism, stating, "I think the most difficult thing has already been achieved, which is for the government and the unions to sit down again. I do not foresee a scenario in which the government is incapable of reaching an agreement with the educational community."
