The creation of a specific sub-directorate within the General Directorate of Police to defend the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) has opened a Pandora's box for the Catalan government. The decision was implemented through an internal restructuring decree and stems from the desire of the Director of Police, Major Josep Lluís Trapero, to return the legal representation, defense, and advice of the Mossos to the purview of the Ministry of the Interior. This is a long-standing conflict: in 2021, the legal representation of the police was transferred to the Department of the Presidency because the government of Pere Aragonès considered some charges against pro-independence demonstrators to be too serious. Now, the lawyers will return to the Ministry of the Interior, but the measure has met with opposition from the Catalan Government's Bar Association, the Forum of Lawyers, which has challenged it before the High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC) and is demanding its immediate suspension. as it progressed The World

Two Japanese tourists board a train on Barcelona's L1 metro line. Upon arriving at Arc de Triomf station, they notice someone rummaging through their bags. It's a young man wearing a Manchester United shirt who, realizing he's been caught, abandons the theft and flees. Two security guards try to stop him, but he assaults one and escapes along the train tracks. He runs to the next station, Marina, where he re-enters the platform, covered in black dust, and flees again. He's a "two-time offender," which in police jargon means he has two prior convictions, and two plainclothes officers from the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) eventually arrest him, placing him against the wall and handcuffing him, while a third security guard, trembling, explains that he had to use pepper spray to subdue him.

Speed limits will be reduced, and there will be more speed cameras to ensure that drivers, especially truck drivers, are actually respecting the speed limit. These are two of the main measures announced this Thursday by the Catalan Interior Ministry to address the increase in fatal accidents on the AP-7, Catalonia's busiest motorway. The data for this artery of the country's circulation is not good.This year, up to 15 people have lost their lives, more than double the number from last year. "The goal is to improve road safety to reduce fatalities and serious injuries," stated the Minister of the Interior, Núria Parlon, at a press conference this Thursday morning, where she also announced enhanced training for non-EU truck drivers. As reported by ARA this past weekend, the Interior Ministry is focusing on trucks, and these measures will be accompanied by increased monitoring of heavy vehicles. In fact, starting next month, trucks will be limited to 80 km/h on the AP-7 highway section between Calafat (Baix Ebre) and Amposta (Montsià), precisely the area where two serious truck accidents—one fatal—occurred 10 days ago, causing hours of traffic jams. Similarly, passenger cars will have to reduce their speed to 100 km/h. These restrictions will only apply to southbound traffic and are expected to come into effect next month. The Ministry of Transport, which owns the road, is already working on the new signage. This strategy will initially be in place for six months. The director of the Catalan Traffic Service (SCT), Ramon Lamiel, pointed out that at this point on the Ebro River, some accidents have been linked to vehicles leaving the road, which is why they have opted to reduce the speed limit. Trucks are not allowed to proceed along this stretch, and it was found that 2% of them violate this prohibition. The speed limit will be accompanied by increased radar enforcement to ensure compliance.

It was April 28th, a sunny spring Monday that was expected to be calm. It was the day chosen by the Catalan Civil Protection agency to film an advertisement about the kit An emergency kit: it's a backpack everyone should keep in their front door, containing essential items to cope with a crisis for 72 hours. The advertisement explained what should be packed in the kit and why it was important to have one. What happened that day further highlights the need for these kits. kitsSuddenly, the circuit breakers in every house tripped, trains stopped, and cell phone coverage began to fail. in a general blackout on the Iberian PeninsulaThe recording of the advertisement was postponed, and the campaign was finally launched this Monday.

On May 12th of last year, during the electoral debate, the PSC candidate, Salvador Illa, had an ace up his sleeve: he announced that, if he were sworn in as president, the Minister of the Interior would be Núria Parlon, then mayor of Santa Coloma de Gramanet, and that the director of the police would be the head of the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police), Josep Lluís. The predictions ultimately proved true, and Parlon was appointed head of the department, and Trapero assumed the political leadership of the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police). This move, which initially generated surprise, was not the only one: with Parlon's arrival at the Interior Ministry, five senior officials also arrived who, before taking on their new positions, were police officers.

The last municipal elections in Catalonia left a bleak outlook for Ciutadans: only ten councilors in nine municipalities. Santa Coloma de Gramenet was the only city where they won two. These were their best results in 2023, but they were bittersweet: the ERC candidacy, led by Gabriel Rufián, overtook them, and the Oranges ceased to be the main opposition party. The surprise came after the elections: the then mayor and now Minister of the Interior, Núria Parlon, offered them entry into the government despite having an absolute majority—17 councilors out of 25. Almost two years later, and now with the new mayor, Mireia González, The pact is moving smoothly, and both parties are boasting. Under the Socialist leadership, the Ciudadanos (Cs) leader in the city, Dimas Gragera, is Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, while Ciudadanos councilor Salvador Tovar has responsibilities in security matters.

The mobilization of aspiring firefighters has finally borne fruit. The Ministry of the Interior has announced that the Catalan government is finalizing a decree-law with urgent fiscal measures to ensure that future firefighters, as well as Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) and rural police officers, do not earn less than the minimum wage (SMI) during their time at the academy. As explained by AHORAFor weeks, the aspiring firefighters had been mobilized and had even demonstrated in front of the headquarters of the Catalan emergency service.

The last meeting of the Security Board between the State and the Generalitat in Catalonia The Catalan government has given the Catalan police a cold shower: the transfer of powers over ports and airports was postponed because, according to the Catalan government, the Catalan police did not have enough personnel to guarantee the security of these infrastructures. The opposition went for the Catalan government's throat and, shortly afterwards, the Catalan president, Salvador Illa, changed his mind. Now there is a new date for this transfer. The Minister of the Interior, Núria Parlon, has announced that the Catalan police are expected to begin controlling the security of ports and airports from September, when the new batches of agents are incorporated. "The Catalan police will be able to take on this burden, but we need some time to prepare the structure," she said in an interview on RTVE this Monday.