Pilar Calvo, a prominent politician from the Junts per Catalunya party, has publicly stated that Madrid is a cleaner city than Barcelona. Her comments came during an interview where she also criticised Barcelona's current urban management and proposed significant policy shifts.
Ms Calvo, a Member of the Spanish Congress, made the direct comparison during an interview with Ara Cat. She declared, "Madrid, as a city, is cleaner." This statement addresses a frequent concern among Barcelona residents and visitors regarding urban hygiene. She linked this issue to a broader "loss of ambition, self-esteem, and identity" that she believes Barcelona currently suffers.
Ms Calvo, born in Gràcia in 1963, highlighted her family origins. Her father was Aragonese, and her mother was Cantabrian. She described her upbringing in Gràcia as a "village-like" experience. This background, she suggests, makes her an example of successful Catalan integration. She has lived in various Barcelona districts, including Putxet, Horta-Guinardó, Sarrià, and the Eixample. She now resides in Putxet again. Ms Calvo also co-founded Catalunya Ràdio.
Calvo's Critique of Barcelona
Ms Calvo believes the city is losing its identity. She sees herself as an example of activism for the Catalan language. She stated that when young people must leave their neighbourhoods, "ties are broken and the community is broken." This further contributes to the loss of identity, which she considers a main problem for the city.
Housing Policy Concerns
Ms Calvo criticised Barcelona's housing policies, particularly price regulation. She argued that "the left has produced super-regulation that creates legal insecurity." While acknowledging a potential need for some price caps, she suggested tax bonuses for rental properties. She cited Mercè Illamola, a fellow Member of Congress, who noted other cities reversed price limits. This happened after a "massive withdrawal of flats from the rental market," which Ms Calvo believes has occurred in Barcelona.
Promoting Quality Tourism
Barcelona must focus on "quality tourism," according to Ms Calvo. She proposed facilitating more overnight cruise stays. She also suggested reversing policies from previous administrations. These policies, she claimed, prevented large luxury hotel chains from establishing themselves in the city. She believes this type of tourism "generates economy."
Immigration and Welfare Strain
Ms Calvo also addressed immigration, stating that "almost one in four immigrants who enter Spain arrive in Catalonia." She warned this situation "strains the entire welfare system" year after year. She believes no country can sustain this indefinitely without control over immigration powers. "We are reaching a collapse situation," she added. Junts seeks these powers to "tidy things up," not to prevent immigration. Immigrants are "necessary to cover many jobs," she noted. However, she stressed the process must be orderly. She also expressed concern that this situation "is putting at risk the identity of historic nations like Catalonia."
Junts' Political Agenda
Ms Calvo identified herself as a "Puigdemontista" and a defender of Xavier Trias's legacy. She views Junts as a "transversal project." She believes her background and professional career bring the most transversal appeal among the four candidates. She also spoke about Junts' achievements in the Spanish Congress. These include securing the right to speak Catalan in Congress and passing the amnesty law. Other achievements mentioned were reducing quotas for self-employed workers and taxes for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Junts also passed a law against multi-offending and the ELA (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) law.
Regarding the far-right party Aliança, Ms Calvo stated Junts would not align with them. She affirmed, "Policies based on hatred and Islamophobia will never be part of our values." She noted that Junts had requested integral immigration competencies before Aliança existed.
If elected Mayor, Ms Calvo intends to ask residents to defend the Catalan language and culture. She considers these "one of the most beautiful things we have." Her statements outline a clear political agenda for Barcelona, focusing on urban management, economic development, and cultural preservation.
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Originally published by Ara Cat. Read original article.
