Catalan President Salvador Illa spoke in Constantí, Tarragona, where he said the PSC would not “bend or surrender” in the face of recent legal challenges. The remarks came during the Festa de la Rosa, with Illa also serving as First Secretary of the PSC.
He defended the presumption of innocence for people affected by the cases, including former Spanish President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. Illa said it was wrong to condemn people before hearing them, and argued that due process must be respected.
His speech also marked eight years since the no-confidence motion that removed Mariano Rajoy’s PP government. Illa said Spain has since made progress in liberties, economic growth, pensions, the minimum wage and social rights.
He also pointed to recent developments in Catalonia, including an agreement with education unions and a budget pact. Illa said the union deal was a first step towards working together for excellence, after years in which he said education had lacked enough resources.
The president thanked ERC and Comuns for what he described as a demanding but constructive approach. He said that cooperation had helped Catalonia move forward despite political noise, and he cited the Port of Tarragona as an example of economic growth.
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