Oriol Junqueras: "The PSC isn't doing everything it should to ensure the financing agreement goes well."

BarcelonaOriol Junqueras (Barcelona, ​​1969) visits the ARA a few days before the second part of the Esquerra congress, which the party is holding this weekend in Martorell, and where it must approve the political, strategic, and statutory proposals.

Let's start with the great European debate of these days. What is Esquerra's position on the proposed rearmament of Europe to confront the shift in the United States and the Russian threat?

— Europe as a whole spends four times more on defense than Russia, so it doesn't need to spend more, but rather to be more efficient in its use of that spending. Europe's air superiority over Russia is scandalous. Europe must use its tools, and the most important of all is that it is the world's largest consumer market. And it must use this to force a dignified peace between Ukraine and Russia.

Isn't that something that has been attempted in recent years?

— Europe hasn't tried hard enough; sanctions don't work. Europe should seek some kind of accelerated mechanism to bring Ukraine into the European Union. And at the same time, Europe should also be brave in saying that a just and dignified peace would also bring advantages to Russia, because Europe could treat it as a favored country in its trade relations.

Should we continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine in its defense?

— Europe must help Ukraine because it is right to help the victim.

So what will they say if Pedro Sánchez proposes increasing military spending?

— We are not in favor of increasing military spending. Europe needs more political ambition and more intelligence in its international relations to ensure that Russia acts more rationally on the international stage.

Another major European-based debate is immigration. How do you assess the agreement between the PSOE and Junts regarding the delegation of powers to Catalonia?

— Catalonia, like many other Western societies, has a low fertility rate of 1.1. This means that with each generational leap, Catalonia's population would be halved. This demographic model is unsustainable, and therefore, there are many incentives for the influx of new population, among other reasons because there are jobs in our society that no one wants to do. The question is how we regulate this market in the best possible way.

Have you noticed a certain increase in xenophobia and concern about the migration phenomenon?

— Many other, more relevant complaints are being raised. For example, that family income in this country is lower than it was in 2004, and the reason for this isn't immigration, but rather the housing market's complete saturation. That €20 billion in tax money disappears in our country every year and is never returned to us. That the state hasn't built a single kilometer of conventional railway in our country for 50 years...

But do you understand the rise of the far right?

— Democracy and the welfare state are threatened by those who know that they are a guarantee for the vast majority of our society and, therefore, an obstacle to their selfishness. We must be able to explain this every day. Our aspiration should be to try to equalize at the top, not at the bottom. Social justice, public health, and quality public education are essential elements for economic growth. And whoever forgets this will experience very long periods of recession. Perhaps this will happen in the United States now with Trump.

What do you think when Salvador Illa says he wants Catalonia to lead Spain again? Is it feasible to surpass Madrid in GDP?

— Catalonia must have much greater ambition than simply surpassing an autonomous community within the Spanish state. The Madrid model externalizes many costs, which are borne by all the surrounding provinces. And Spain clear It has been gutted by a predatory economic model on the part of Madrid. The model that Catalonia should represent is one in which not only our growth is important, but also that of our environment, our customers, and our suppliers.

If there were no fiscal deficit, would you be in favor of lowering taxes?

— I'm in favor of tax revenue being spent in the best possible way. But as long as Catalonia has infrastructure deficits, we certainly need a tax system that allows us to finance them.

If we put ourselves in the shoes of taxpayers who find a service as deficient as Renfe's, it's understandable that they think it's not worth it...

— We're going to use all our influence to make them realize that the situation is a scandalous disgrace. We've fought for a long time for the Generalitat to assume full responsibility. That's why we're pro-independence. And it's often been the Socialist Party that has opposed us with all its might. The PSC had a former Minister of Transport who was the mayor of Gavà, and Renfe had PSC members at its helm. And they haven't gotten ahead. And that's why we're demanding that things change. And if they're incapable of managing it, they'll have to assume political responsibility. We've said that we don't rule out censuring those who are incapable of doing their jobs.

According to the agreement reached by Esquerra and the PSC, the financing model should be finalized in the first half of the year. How are the negotiations progressing?

— We must put ourselves in a much more intense way.

Aren't they negotiating intensively now?

— At this point, the PSC is still not doing everything it should be doing to make this go well.

And if it doesn't go well, what happens?

— So Isla and Sánchez will have to forget not only about the 2025 budget, which they've already forgotten, but also about the 2026 budget.

The Catalan government says it is taking steps; it has hired around 100 workers for the Catalan Tax Agency.

— It is completely insufficient.

How many would be needed?

— We're probably talking about the staff of the State Tax Administration Agency (AEAT) in Catalonia, who should be incorporated into the Catalan Tax Agency (ATC).

But there are about 3000 of them.

— Therefore, 100 people, with all due respect to all of them, is clearly insufficient.

They are joining a pilot program to collect personal income tax and vehicle registration tax.

— The vehicle registration tax is a tax that serves very little purpose when it comes to collecting personal income tax. Therefore, there is much room for improvement.

Is the way to grow the Catalan agency to transfer employees from the Spanish agency directly to the Catalan agency?

— It's a path, and it's relevant, because it's clear that there are many highly qualified and educated people.

But here they'll face opposition from civil servants, as is happening with Renfe's train drivers. Have you anticipated this?

— Renfe train drivers and all workers in this country, including those at the Tax Agency, should know that the best ally they will ever have when it comes to defending their labor rights is the people of Esquerra Republicana.

Are you negotiating a 4 billion euro credit extension with the government to cover expenses like the one at La Bressola?

— We want our country to do well. For it to do well, there are certain expenses and investments that public administrations must be able to make. And we are not here to block the investments that public administrations must make to serve this country.

That is, they are negotiating that credit supplement.

— If you want to present us with a proposal for a decree to expand credit, let us do so, and we'll discuss it. We are fully willing to reach good agreements that will benefit our country.

Has the party already regained unity since your election?

— Esquerra has gone through a very creative, intense, and exciting process in every sense. And now I'm very satisfied with the strength and drive with which we're resuming our relationship with the country.

What information will activists have from the internal investigation into the party's B structure?

— I don't know, because the Truth Commission knows this.

Have you dismantled structure B?

— When I arrived, it wasn't there. Payments were no longer being made.

Are they not made safe anymore?

— I assure you no. If any of the things that give us reason to lead Esquerra Republicana right now are precisely to ensure that what should never have happened never happens again.

The New National Left has withdrawn the amendments calling for term limits. How do you assess this?

— The fact that few live amendments reached the plenary session demonstrates the overwhelming majority in support of the proposals, which has been expressed at all the regional congresses, and the enormous capacity this new leadership has demonstrated in building consensus within the organization.

But you want to run for the Generalitat? Because it seems there are people who don't want you to...

— No one should worry about this because I'm disqualified. And I'll fight to make it possible for everyone to apply.

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