Poblet, Núria, and now Arnes: What messages are hidden behind the government's "coexistence"?

HarnessTerra Alta was the destination chosen by the Catalan government for its third meeting. The president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, and his ministers traveled to Arnes this Friday for a series of work sessions, which will run until Saturday to analyze the challenges of the new academic year. However, this is not the first time that the head of the Catalan government has taken his ministers to the region to reflect on the direction of the government. A year ago, the Catalan Socialists began their tour of the Generalitat with similar work sessions at the Poblet monastery, and last April they did so in Núria. This August, the government landed in Terres de l'Ebre, near the border with Aragon, to demonstrate the government's commitment to southern Catalonia, with forest management and this summer's catastrophic fires as a backdrop.

"Why Arnes? To symbolize and express that we are the Government for everyone, and that we want to govern for everyone regardless of their way of thinking and political approach," said the president, in the speech with which he began the working days of the Government. Isla has maintained that he wants to know "first hand" the demands of a territory with which he has several open files, such as the redefinition of nuclear funds or the candidacy of the European AI gigafactory in Móra la NovaIn fact, the day began with a meeting with the mayor of Arnes, Joaquim Miralles, who is a member of Junts and governs with an absolute majority in this municipality of about 460 inhabitants.

Tour through Terres de l'Ebre

The Government's working sessions began just after midday and will continue until Saturday. There will be joint meetings between departments, and they will also receive a visit from Government delegates to the region. The event will feature a talk by cultural manager Xavier Marcet in the evening, who will share ideas on public-private management with key ministers. The Minister of Economy, Alícia Romero, and the Minister of the Interior, Núria Parlon, have been absent because they are "unwell," according to Government sources.

On Saturday, Isla will also take the opportunity to visit Móra d'Ebre. Accompanied by the Regional Minister of Health, Olga Pané, the president will inaugurate the new surgical unit of the Móra d'Ebre Regional Hospital, now complete after an investment of €5.2 million. The ministers will also tour the Terres de l'Ebre region: the Regional Minister of Territory, Sílvia Paneque, will inaugurate a biomass boiler in Amposta, and up to five ministers will visit several municipalities in the area: Bot, Tivenys, Garcia, Ascó, Deltebre, Corbera d'Ebre, and Camarles.

Previous destinations

For the first working days, in August 2024, the Government also opted for the province of Tarragona. The president chose Poblet to demonstrate commitment to the territory and taking advantage of the archives of President Josep Tarradellas, whom Isla admires and champions. There, Illa gave individualized homework to the members of the Government: from the transfer of Cercanías to financing, passing through Catalan to Europe and the fight against insecurity.

The following work sessions were in April, in the Núria Valley, prior to a trip on the rack railway. The idea was to highlight these facilities on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of their concession to FGC from an enclave that, like Poblet, holds a key significance for the history of Catalonia. But at that time, the tariff war declared by Donald Trump had a full impact on the Government's agenda, which dedicated the meeting to fine-tuning a response plan for the most affected sectors. There, it was Antoni Puigverd who gave a talk to Isla's government.