The Pujol-Ferrusola and the "Spain robs us"

The teachers' protests continue, who this morning have again blocked roads and access to Barcelona. Tomorrow, finally, they will meet with the Government. The Department of Education says there is no room to improve salaries beyond 200 euros per month, but everything seems to indicate that the Government will indeed put more money on the table to improve the inclusive school service, the model that aims to guarantee education for all students regardless of their personal abilities, family origins, or social and economic conditions. Let's hope they succeed (it seems impossible for the conflict to be resolved in the first meeting) but Salvador Illa's Government would do well to show that it understands that it cannot pretend everything will be fine thanks to the magic of a government that doesn't want noise.

Fernando Bermejo, who made “Spain is robbing us” come out.Meanwhile, the trial for the Pujol family case is coming to an end. Yesterday, the prosecutor, Fernando Bermejo, intervened, who brought up "Spain is robbing us." Listen to him, please.

Prosecutor Bermejo: “In this proceeding, the defense attempted —and succeeded— in introducing as witnesses those considered to be the so-called patriotic police, and their testimony served no purpose. Their testimony served no purpose in attempting to turn this trial into a political trial, into an attack on Catalonia. The analysis of the Pujol case forces us to confront the public discourse maintained for years according to which “Spain is robbing us” with the facts investigated in this proceeding. While on many occasions it has been stated that the lack of resources from the State prevented adequate funding of schools, hospitals, and public services, the conduct examined judicially points to alleged practices of income concealment and tax evasion.”

The prosecutor is very free to choose the accusation strategy he deems most appropriate, but no matter how much justice proves the economic crimes of which the Pujol-Ferrusolas are accused, the "Spain robs us" is another matter. The billions of euros that Catalans pay in taxes that go to Spain and do not revert to our healthcare or education, or in investments in trains, are an undeniable fact. But the prosecutor, representing the State, wants to make us feel guilty for believing that, in effect, the State takes much more from Catalonia than it puts into it.

And then, Florentino.

Florentino: “I have only won 7 Champions Leagues, which is little, and 7 League titles, which is where the problem lies. I could have won 14, because the others were stolen from me. And how can I not be angry? Look at today's newspapers, the two articles in ABC. Today, against Madrid. A woman who I don't even know if she knows anything about football.”

We could have included much more from Mr. Pérez. His press conference yesterday is worthy of a doctoral thesis in a Faculty of Psychology, or Medicine: the man who has grown old, who has triumphed in business and football, who feels impunity, who lives anchored in the past, who uses the arrogance so typical of power in Spain, filtered through Donald Trump who insults journalists, who says he defends the member and makes no self-criticism. This is how political communication is done nowadays. And a case of acute barcelonitis. In this regard, remember that wise advice: when your enemy makes a mistake, do not interrupt him.

Good morning.