Barcelona was the setting on Thursday for a speech by Salvador Illa, leader of the Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSC), at the II Prensa Ibérica Forum on Peace and Security in Europe. He used the platform to address recent political and judicial developments affecting the PSC and the PSOE, saying that socialists are not naive and that sometimes there are coincidences that are no coincidence.
The forum brought together representatives from industry and public life to discuss how the defence sector is changing. Aitor Moll, chief executive of Prensa Ibérica, said there can be no prosperity without security and no strong Europe if Europe cannot defend itself. Joan Martorell, vice-president of Aeros and president of Taskforce, said defence in Catalonia was once practically demonised, but is now seen as an obligation, a responsibility and an opportunity for growth.
Illa’s remarks came against a backdrop of political tension, including the so-called Zapatero case, requests for information from the PSOE and PSC, and the UCO’s visit to PSOE headquarters, which lasted until 10pm. They also followed Judge Pedraz’s order to charge Santos Cerdán and other socialist leaders, which also requested information from the PSOE about the PSC’s 2024 campaign spending, despite the two being separate organisations.
In his institutional speech, Illa set out a ten-point plan for security policy and defended his party’s values. He said they would not be broken because their strength does not depend on being in institutions, but on dignity, justice, plurality and the trust of the public. He also said that truth always prevails. A source close to Illa said the comments referred not only to Judge Pedraz’s mention of the PSC, but also to police reports concerning Zapatero and the campaign against Pedro Sánchez.
Illa also argued that security and social welfare should not be treated as opposing goals. He said cohesive societies are better able to sustain security policy, and that cuts to social programmes should not be justified in the name of higher defence spending. He added that security is the first priority because without it there is no freedom or social progress, and that people on lower incomes are the ones most in need of public security.
He said Europe, after 80 years under NATO protection, now faces a new stage following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and doubts about whether a Trump-led United States would uphold Article 5 of the alliance. He said Europe must increase defence spending to protect itself and to avoid dependence on other powers. He added that Catalonia, with its eight million inhabitants, wants to be part of that effort and has the capacity and academic ecosystem to do so. The forum also included Jordi Valls, deputy mayor of Barcelona, Núria Aymerich, commissioner for defence at the Ministry of Industry, General Vicente Torres, and business leaders including Javier Escribano, Raül Blanco, Luis Furnells, Carlos Pérez de Jáuregui and Diego Crescente.