ERC general secretary Elisenda Alamany accused Salvador Illa’s Generalitat government of lacking “national ambition” after the traditional Diada floral tribute to Rafael Casanova in Barcelona on Friday 11 September.
For Rodalies commuters, the dispute places control of the commuter rail network at the centre of ERC’s demands. Alamany called for Catalan management of the trains, alongside a new financing model for Catalonia, as part of what she described as building a stronger country.
Speaking to journalists after the tribute, Alamany said the Generalitat’s approach was weakening Catalonia. Her reference to “national ambition” concerned ERC’s call for policies intended to strengthen Catalonia’s political and economic capacity, including greater control over rail services and public funding.
“Have we forgotten that we wanted a free country?”
ERC links rail and funding demands to cohesion
Alamany said ERC wanted Catalonia to become stronger and more cohesive, and criticised those whom she said sought a “closed” Catalonia or had given up on that objective.
She also pointed to problems affecting daily life, including train services, public services, the position of the Catalan language in public life and household finances. These were political criticisms made by ERC, rather than findings issued by the Generalitat.
Earlier criticism over education strike
In a statement on Monday 7 September, Alamany had also accused the Generalitat of reacting too late to a teachers’ strike at the start of the school term. She said the disruption on the first day of classes would be borne by families, children and teaching staff, according to Europa Press.
In the same statement, she criticised Junts’ opposition to the proposed financing model. Alamany said the model could mean an additional €4.7 billion for Catalonia, a figure presented as ERC’s assessment of the proposal.
The Diada tribute took place at the Rafael Casanova monument, a customary part of Catalonia’s National Day commemorations.
Primary sources: govern.cat. Reported by elDiario.es, diariosigloxxi.com, europapress.es, abc.es, en.ara.cat, elmundo.es, rtve.es, elnacional.cat, elconstitucional.es, infobae.com, lleidadiari.cat, cronicacataluna.es, Racó Català.
