Barcelona, Catalonia – The Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSC) and Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) have confirmed that the controversy involving Mossos d'Esquadra chief Josep Lluís Trapero will not influence ongoing budget negotiations. Despite ERC's call for Trapero's dismissal and PSC's backing of him, both parties agree that the dispute should not hinder the approval of Catalonia's financial plan.
Isaac Albert, ERC spokesperson, stated that "Trapero cannot mortgage the funding of hospitals or schools." Lluïsa Moret, PSC spokesperson, echoed this sentiment, urging a clear separation of issues. The disagreement stems from the alleged infiltration of Mossos agents among teachers, which ERC and Comuns consider unacceptable.
Budget Talks Continue Amidst Disagreement
Albert told reporters on Monday that it is possible to criticise the Salvador Illa government's actions while still approving the budget. ERC acknowledges that the "strange pairing" of education and Catalan police created by the Generalitat is an "unforeseen problem." However, Albert clarified that the government must take responsibility if it keeps Trapero in his position.
He insisted that both the intention to place Mossos in schools and the infiltration of agents into a teachers' assembly are "absolute absurdities." These actions, according to Albert, require the resignation or dismissal of the director general of the Catalan police. He added that the Catalan executive must recognise an "evident error" and make appropriate decisions, which, in ERC's view, demand Trapero's departure.
"If they do not, they will be the ones who will have to provide the relevant explanations," Albert reiterated, again clarifying that Trapero's departure "is not a condition" for the budget. "The objective is not to set a condition that ends up overturning the budgets," he said, reminding that his party has always wanted budgets. Approval is nearing with agreements on the investment consortium and the orbital train project, with only a few final details remaining.
PSC Calls for Separate Discussions
Moret, speaking for the PSC, described the budget talks as "solid and progressing positively" towards approval before summer. She explicitly disconnected these discussions from ERC's demand for Trapero's dismissal due to the infiltrations. "We respect the positions of political forces," she affirmed.
Moret stressed the need to "separate issues." She explained that budget negotiations are "to advance the country," while other situations that arise "in the country" must be addressed "where appropriate," whether in Parliament or the government. The spokesperson did not comment on Trapero personally but avoided calling his name "unquestionable."
"We are in favour of public policies for public safety, and that does not have names and surnames," she said. Moret did, however, align with Núria Parlon and the government's security policies. Regarding the recent controversy, Moret stated that "the government has given sufficient explanations" and assured that the party "has no opinion" on the agents' actions to gather information on teacher protests.
Final Hurdles for Budget Approval
With the Trapero controversy set aside from budget negotiations, an agreement is progressing well. ERC maintains that the investment consortium will proceed through a commercial company, which does not require support from the Spanish Congress. In parallel, ERC is finalising an agreement with the government for the orbital train project. This project, according to the party, will help solve crises in "mobility, infrastructure, and territorial imbalance."
The agreement, already part of Catalonia's 2050 railway strategy, would connect approximately six million people, 75% of the population, across Maresme, Vallès, Penedès, Baix Llobregat, and Garraf without passing through Barcelona. These two areas, the consortium and the orbital train, are key "parallel negotiations" bringing the budget closer to approval.
Few other major negotiations are expected, beyond specific policy details shared by the government and its partners. However, one condition remains: "Gaining sovereignty in some area that currently only the State governs and where the Generalitat can be an important and majority actor," Albert said. The ERC spokesperson did not specify which element this would be, reiterating that it is not finalised and remains under negotiation. This final factor, "gaining sovereignty," is the definitive landing strip for the budgets. The airport dossier is being explored, although Aena's role always complicates matters.
