Albert Ruiz, leader of the Ciutadans movement, said yesterday in an elEconomista press conference that there is a need to reach for an agreement between Spanish political groups in order to find a solution for Catalonia. Rivera criticized Catalonia president Artur Mas for advocating for the region's independence in order to mask its deep political problems: corruption scandals and the Basque region's increasing power.
The national government can't roll over backward just because Mas is in trouble, Rivera said. Ciutadans proposes finding viable solutions within the framework of the Spanish constitution and rejects Catalonian recession, but thinks both Catalonia and the rest of Spain's regions need to find a new way to finance their operations.
Catalonia is not the only region that needs to increase revenue. Madrid and Baleares boast high per capita income figures, and with a better tax system these regions could increase their overall revenues. A new multi-region agreement could be reached through talks in Parliament in order to make necessary changes to the tax system.
In an open conversation like this, different voices need to listen to their different perspectives. An agreement is an ambitious goal for a political class that, despite the nation?s grave economic situation, has not figured out how to improve things.
Nor has it figured out how to agree on what reforms are necessary for fueling a recovery. Those who govern are obligated to foment dialogue about positive change. Mas should drop the nationalist sentiment and start seeing himself as the person who can deliver Catalonia from its struggles and in doing so help Spain. Mariano Rajoy, as Rivera said, can't keep up this political autism for much longer.