It must build on what are the Federal States

Why Catalonia réclamet - it at any price a reform of the system of financing

Because the current system give us neither the resources nor the necessary autonomy. It must build on what are the Federal States. We ask nothing exceptional! We want a system to halfway between what is being done in Germany and the Canada. This means a model that gives us more financial autonomy to decide our taxes without calling into question the mechanisms of solidarity. Equalization Fund also exist in the German Canadians but without reaching the Spanish situation where, in the end, the relatively rich communities and with tax capabilities as Catalonia receive less money than the average. It is an unacceptable system must be changed. A portion of the taxes citizens pay in Catalonia should at least provide them, in turn, a number of services that they are not now. This is still not difficult to understand!

The central Government responded that the economic crisis reduces its capacity...

The crisis we struck, too. A good part of our revenue comes from real estate which you know the very difficult situation. This poses problems because, despite everything, we must ensure social services for all. In eight years, our population has increased from 1.5 million inhabitants, of whom about 1 million immigrants. It is we who must fund efforts in education, health... And this weighs more heavily in times of crisis. But can very well separated its application model change. This can be done gradually, based on the behavior of the economy. We accept it. We are realistic, we are not rigid or intolerant!

You have the impression that Catalonia was penalized infrastructure in recent years

This changed with the change in status of Catalonia, adopted two years ago, which includes a commitment of the State to catch investment. First economic region of the country, Catalonia, that represents 19 of the gross domestic product and 16 of the population of the Spain, was for years only 10 of the investment of the State. There is, today, in our status a clause stipulating that for seven years, between 2007 and 2013, the investments in infrastructure should be in line with our economic weight. Today, we are beginning to catch up with the delay.

What is the situation in the region today

We face one crisis, as all the others. But we have seen extraordinary conditions these past six years. We have a per capita purchasing power superior of 12 points in the average European of the fifteen, higher by 22 points to that of the Union to 27. We will come out reinforced this bad password because we have a strong foundation. We have a very open economy to the outside, the most open of the Spain. We contribute to 30 of the exports of the country. We have a strong industrial tradition economy also turns to an economy based on high technology and services. We have universities, research centres and schools of management in first line. An environment and a framework institutional pro-business. What to look at the future with optimism.