A surprised business community and an Isla asking to "avoid the noise"

BarcelonaA packed Palau Sant Jordi – more than a thousand attendees, including businessmen, politicians and former politicians and representatives of the social and economic fabric – was the setting for the 38th Pimec Awards NightThis Thursday night was marked above all by thescandal of the number 3 of the PSOE, Santos Cerdán, and the crisis looming over the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, and his party.

This is the second consecutive year that Sánchez has not attended this dinner: last year he was forced to drop out at the last minute due to personal reasons, and this year it was already planned that he would not attend due to agenda issues—the celebration of the 40th anniversary of Spain's accession to the European Union—prior to the European Union. In fact, the only representative from the Moncloa Palace was the Spanish government delegate in Catalonia, Carlos Prieto, who only appeared on stage to present an award.

However, the topic was on everyone's lips at the dinner tables. Among the business community, there were many astonished expressions, both at the event itself and at the Sánchez's subsequent speech, seasoned with the conviction that, in any case, there doesn't seem to be a clear alternative government.

"Today has been a particularly intense day," said the President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, during his closing speech, which brought smiles to many of the attendees. Isla avoided talking about the scandal, but asserted that "there has been a lot of noise in recent months" and that "we must keep our feet on the ground in perspective." "Above all, it is necessary to preserve the institutions, because without institutions we are nothing," he said, while complaining that "the stability of institutions is too often put at risk," leaving room for interpretation.

However, other prominent figures did attend, such as the president of Banc Sabadell, Josep Oliu, and the President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, who has been lauded for the airport expansion project. Several former presidents of the Generalitat (Catalan government) were also present, including Jordi Pujol, Artur Mas, and Pere Aragonès. Also in attendance were the Minister of Economy, Alícia Romero; the Minister of Business and Employment, Miquel Sàmper; the Minister of Language Policy, Francesc Xavier Vila; the Mayor of Barcelona, ​​Jaume Collboni; the President of the Barcelona Provincial Council, Lluïsa Moret; the President of Junts (Junts), Jordi Turull; and the President of the Port of Barcelona, ​​José Alberto Carbonell, among others.