Tortosa Mayor Mar Lleixà has urged the Catalan Health Department to reconsider the future management model for municipal hospitals in the city, including Hospital de la Santa Creu de Jesús and Clínica Terres de l'Ebre. Lleixà stated that these facilities provide public services but are becoming a burden on municipal finances.
The mayor highlighted that the public company Salut Terres de l'Ebre was created for more than just managing Mora d'Ebre Regional Hospital. She believes the current healthcare model, where local councils manage hospitals serving an entire health region, needs to be addressed at some point. Lleixà asked the Health Department to lead this discussion and assess the role each hospital should play, considering the current complexity of managing public sector activity at a local level.
In Tortosa, municipal companies account for nearly half of the consolidated budget, approximately €48 million. Last year, both hospitals ended with losses. The City Council is negotiating with CatSalut and the Health Department for "additional contributions" to balance the accounts, similar to what has been done in previous years for Jesús. "We have until June and I continue to work to deliver good news and avoid these alarmist messages that even the professionals themselves do not fully understand," Lleixà said, referring to warnings from Junts about the clinic's "critical financial situation."
Financial Pressures on Hospitals
Lleixà insisted that the financial results at Hospital de Jesús and Clínica Terres de l'Ebre are not due to a lack of income, reduced activity, or poor management. Instead, she pointed to increased procurement and staff costs. For the first time, CatSalut has penalised delays in surgical procedures redirected from Tortosa Verge de la Cinta Hospital, according to the mayor.
Francoist Monument Removal
Mar Lleixà also expressed her desire to be the mayor who oversees the removal of the Francoist monument from the Ebro River. She believes "it is the moment" for its dismantling and that it "should not be delayed." Lleixà reiterated her wish for the removal to happen during her current term, a commitment she made in her inauguration speech. She has asked the Catalan government to confirm its commitment to the removal as soon as the legal process is resolved and urged the Minister of Justice to have everything prepared for the court's decision.
The government has requested the administrative contentious court number 2 in Tarragona to lift the appeal against the building permit for the removal, following the dismissal of legal cases against its delisting. Lleixà believes that the legal challenges and the halt to the removal were difficult to avoid and would have occurred even if the government had been more discreet about its plans to dismantle the monolith.
Tortosa's Safety and Social Cohesion
The mayor rejected rising rhetoric against immigration and a supposed increase in crime in Tortosa. "Tortosa is safe, and the objective data supports this. These messages that Tortosa is an unsafe city do no one any good, and I will not be found supporting them," she stated. Lleixà added that linking crime to migrants is "irresponsible and imprudent."
While acknowledging increased police coordination and presence, Lleixà emphasised that safety involves more than just "putting more police on the streets." She mentioned other issues, such as improved lighting, which were previously overlooked. "Now it seems all the city's problems are from two and a half years ago, and that is not the case. Problems of social cohesion and others come from having looked the other way and abandoning them. This government will not do that," she said.
Deploying the Neighbourhood Plan
One initiative Lleixà expects to promote "equality, cohesion, and social integration" in Tortosa is the Neighbourhood and Villages Plan. This plan will bring about a "regeneration" and conversion of the historic centre. The City Council will create a technical office to manage all planned actions for this project over the next five years. Lleixà noted that Tortosa's project was the "third best-rated" in the call for proposals, describing it as "solid, well-grounded, and planned." The municipal government expects to start implementing it in the coming months.
Regarding accusations of losing grants, Lleixà maintained that any lost subsidies were for projects that did not align with the current local executive's vision, or due to deadlines and administrative requirements, representing "real limitations in project execution." The mayor defended strategic decisions, such as foregoing some aid to secure more suitable funding, aiming to advance important projects with the maximum external financing possible.
100 Days of Republican Leadership
Mar Lleixà, the first republican mayor of Tortosa and the leader of the third-largest city in Catalonia currently led by ERC, has completed 100 days in office. She views this period "positively," stating it provides continuity to the government's actions, shared with Movem-PSC. The mayor highlighted her public service ethos and her capacity for leadership and negotiation, which allowed for the approval of the third budget of the term, her first as mayor.
Lleixà offers dialogue and listens to entities, citizens, and political rivals. She aims to "restore hope to the citizens and avoid catastrophic messages" that "do not benefit the citizens or Tortosa." "I will work tirelessly during this year and a bit that remains, with the desire for the citizens to continue to trust us and me," she concluded. Lleixà has also indicated her intention to run as ERC's mayoral candidate for Tortosa in next year's municipal elections.
