Spanish finance minister wants to present Catalonia's new fiscal model 'as soon as possible'

Spain's finance minister and vice-president, María Jesús Montero, has assured that she aims to present the proposal for a new financing model for Catalonia "as soon as possible."

Montero assured the new model fulfills the "commitments" agreed with Catalan political parties for the backing of Pedro Sánchez as Prime Minister, and "is based on solidarity and respects the vocation of greater self-government." 

The Socialist politician made the comments at the 'World in Progress' forum organized by the Prisa Group in Barcelona on Monday.

Montero also made reference to the negotiations over the budget, saying she hopes talks with Junts will allow them to pass a spending plan, but she also admitted that "more dialogue" is needed.

"In a few days," the spending plan will be brought to the Fiscal and Financial Policy Council.

In her speech at the forum, the minister also emphasized the "dynamizing role" of Catalonia, which she said is "once again buzzing with ambition and energy."

Illa: peace is not a business

Catalan president Salvador Illa opened the conference alongside Barcelona mayor ​​Jaume Collboni.

The head of the executive focused his speech on Europe's role in the conflict in Gaza and called for peace. According to Illa, true peace will not exist "without justice, memory and human values," and warned that peace is "not a business, but a duty towards those who suffer from war."

The president warned Europe that its "weakness" will occur when it "deviates from its founding values."

Meanwhile, Collboni took the opportunity to focus on the difficulties in accessing housing and warned that this problem "generates frustration" among people.

The mayor called on European institutions to focus attention on this issue, and asked that it be reflected in the new fiscal and financial framework for 2028.