Conflict of interest claim
Junts has submitted a series of questions to the Parliament's Bureau demanding clarification on the dual role of Òscar Playà, director of Rodalies, who serves as both chief executive of the new Rodalies de Catalunya joint venture and operational director of the existing Rodalies service managed by Renfe. A non-binding legal report from the State Attorney's Office, obtained by Renfe at the request of the Department of Territory, states that combining these roles constitutes a "structural conflict of interest". The opinion, published on 9 October 2026, argues that Playà’s exclusive dedication to Rodalies de Catalunya is incompatible with taking on a second executive function in another public company.
Parliamentary scrutiny
MP Judith Toronjo filed the questions on Friday, asking whether Playà will continue in both positions. If he remains, Junts wants to know the justification. If not, it is asking when the government will implement changes. The parliamentary group also questioned why the Generalitat’s own legal services were not commissioned to produce the report, given that the Catalan government owns the Rodalies service. Instead, the Department of Territory asked Renfe, which referred the matter to the State Attorney's Office.
The situation could make sense when the mixed company takes over the railway service competencies in Catalunya, but until then, these are two distinct public entities.
Internal tensions and communication issues
Junts has raised concerns about the internal consequences of Playà’s dual role, particularly for the Rodalies rail service, following reports of "internal reticence" among workers. The group also challenged statements Playà made in a radio interview on 7 October, in which he claimed the Ministry of Transport was not his interlocutor. Given the serious structural challenges affecting Rodalies since January 2026, Junts is demanding clarity on how communication functions between the Ministry, the Department of Territory, service providers, Renfe, Rodalies, and infrastructure manager Adif.
Playà was formally appointed CEO of Rodalies de Catalunya in January 2026 and has informally served as operational director of the current Renfe-run service since February. Though he has no formal contract with Renfe, he maintains offices at both the Department of Territory on Avenida Josep Tarradellas and at Sants station. His salary, exceeding €130,000, is paid solely by the joint venture. The mixed company, chaired by Councillor Sílvia Paneque, is composed of 50.1% Renfe and 49.9% Generalitat, and is intended to assume full management of Rodalies services in the future.
Reported by lavanguardia.com, barcelonapress.com, elnacional.cat, radioteca.cat, rtve.es, ACN, Europa Press, ondacero.es, La Vanguardia Barcelona.
