The new mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, deepens his commitment to public order as a priority at the start of his mandate. In the ‘Afterwork’ organized by EL PERIÓDICO this Tuesday afternoon at Casa Seat, he has announced a 10% reinforcement in the patrolling of the Urban Guard this July and August to ensure civility and safety.
Specifically, it has planned a increase “equivalent to 100 urban & rdquor; most up to date in the streets, through voluntary overtime that the staff has agreed to concentrate in the two summer months. “It didn’t always happen & rdquor ;, he has dropped.
And it is precisely that Collboni has claimed himself as “manager” and defender of the signing of “good public managers”, in the face of criticism the day before from his former government partner, Barcelona en Comú, who attributed this term to him as disqualifying. “To make things happen you have to be a good manager & rdquor ;, has defended during the interview, open to the public –140 attendees– and conducted by the director of the newspaper, Albert Sáez.He has exemplified it with the negotiation of these extra police hours or the acceleration of the reform of the Rambla, which he promises will be in works “for a maximum of four years”. “Ciutat Vella will be our priority in attention and investment”, he has riveted.
Variable geometry: BComú, Junts and ERC
Asked about a possible incorporation of the ‘Comuns’ to his executive, Collboni has rejected imminent changes. What’s more, he has implied that he is in no hurry: “This government, with this composition, has a rope for a while & rdquor ;. “We have governed from minute zero… As some officials have told us, it shows that we know the house & rdquor ;, he has presumed. Although she has recognized that “10 councilors are not enough to approve a budget and big urban decisions & rdquor; –The majority of the plenary session are 21–, he has stressed that “they are enough to govern & rdquor ;.
Even more so with the “expansive & rdquor; approved for 2023. Thus, the first big test will be the negotiations of the next accounts this autumn, for which he trusts the “variable geometry & rdquor;. Or in plain words, agree with whom you agree on each occasion. In this sense, it is marked as a priority to reach agreements “with the progressive forces & rdquor;, that is, with ‘Comuns’ and ERC, which would provide a broad front of 24 councilors.
“This government, with this composition, has a rope for a while & rdquor;
However, it does not close the door at all to understanding Junts “in many cases”, despite having left Xavier Trias without the mayor’s office at the last minute. “There are agreements that can be made and that I will propose to Junts because they are consistent with the PSC program,” he replied, in what sounded more like a warning call to Ada Colau’s party than to the post-convergents. He reserved another subtle dart for them about the direction of Junts once Trias retires: “We will see how this political space evolves, there are people in Barcelona who are valuable and can contribute to the city& rdquor ;.
Round of contacts next week
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After the general elections, he will test “whether or not the groups are willing & rdquor; to articulate variable majorities. “I have had informal conversations with everyone and next week I will open a round of contacts officially & rdquor ;, it has advanced. “I will receive all groups in order from largest to smallest& rdquor ;, he added, “except Vox & rdquor ;, with whom he does not want to sit down. His post-election agenda also includes meet with the president of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonès, who will remember that the budget agreement with the PSC included almost 300 million euros and a thousand more mossos for Barcelona.
On 23J he has highlighted the “serious and serious risk of regression of many rights & rdquor; if the extreme right came to power. But he has ruled out a PP-PSOE concentration government to prevent Vox from having influence or entering Moncloa: “Pedro Sánchez has to win the elections and if this does not happen he must go to the opposition & rdquor ;.