‘Spain robs us’. This slogan is a mainstay in the offensive independence five years sets the agenda in Catalonia and the rest of the Iberian country. A kind of verb is conjugated with every aspect of daily life and, in conclusion-not entirely wrongly complains how the Catalans pay more money in taxes than they receive in central government investment. (Former President Jordi Pujol Catalan waives its privileges and fees)
The thief, however, was not out: for more than two decades, he ruled and molded to Catalonia. The regional president, Jordi Pujol, 84, a key figure in the transition and founder of the nationalist Democratic Convergence (CDC), one week confessed to defrauding the Treasury for 30 years, to not declare a large inheritance hidden in tax havens.
Detractors and fervent followers yet replenished joy and punch, respectively. The Spaniards raise a other day also with a corruption scandal. The fight against fiscal fraud has already touched celebrities, including footballer Lio Messi.
The latest survey of the Center for Sociological Research shows that economic problems (80 percent) are the major concern of the country, followed by corruption and fraud (35 percent) and political (25 percent).Although almost all political forces have been splashed-the two largest parties, the Popular (PP) and Spanish Socialist (PSOE) have open inquiries are ongoing for irregular-financing, for Pujol is transcendental.
The difference mark the character and time. First, CDC, training center-Pujol founded in 1978, governs in Catalonia and independence leads the onslaught that in theory, it performed a separatist consultation on 9 November.
Second, this medical profession embodies the ideological shift to the alleged need for secession.Third, because his politics were always omnipresent moralistic pretensions. And finally, many see out his confession desperate attempt to save their children involved in judicial scandals. “The president used for many years a very profitable mixture in which he, his family, Convergence and Catalonia were the same. Now that amalgam is fatal, “says political scientist Joan Subirats. His memoirs, published in 2007, outlines those attributes ‘president’, as everyone keeps calling, but stepped down in 2003. “Florenci and am the son of Mary”, the text begins. His father, a porter who became a banker, raised him on a Catalan environment, ie claiming social and linguistic uniqueness of Catalonia. Marta Ferrusola married in 1956 and had seven children. Railways opponent of Franco-which, among other things, prohibited the use of Catalan-ended tortured and paid two years’ imprisonment for activism, which was elevated to a symbol of resistance.
But Pujol was also a banker. Founded with his father and brother, Banca Catalana, an entity that became the tenth Spanish banking group.
After the death of Francisco Franco, Pujol he left the bank and presented to the first elections democratic, being elected. His party called the ‘yes’ vote in the 1978 Constitution, which allowed the creation of the autonomous communities, Catalonia a way that could have more self-government. In 1980, elections for the Catalan Parliament, CiU (CDC and a coalition between the Christian Democrats) won a majority. A win would be repeated five times. Pujol defended democracy in the coup attempt of February 1981. Be the electoral leader in Catalonia allowed him to serve as a crutch to governments of Adolfo Suarez, the PSOE and the PP, and receive change the transfer of skills, such as police, port management or revenue, to receive a portion of the income tax.The Generalitat, as known to the regional government also created a strong Catalan audiovisual network. This policy achievements pinching going to change is the parliamentary support peix I called the cove (“a bird in the hand …”). There were times when independence was marginal issue.
“I have always been anti-independence-they said last May. And now, last of all, I see that the conditions in which they want to live in Spain do not allow us to maintain our identity. “ Your paternalistic style of government, with a prodigious memory for names and sites, who did almost ubiquitous. The Pujol Ferrusola be embodied duty of Catalan. The deployment of the welfare state and the majority allowed him to be the creator of modern Catalonia. Even told how citizens should live and how many children to have. Three familyFinancial adventure came to an end in 1982 with the intervention of Banca Catalana. Two years later, the Attorney sued its directors. After being re-elected president, Pujol hit back at accusations and was wrapped in a show of support.
“With this launch, what you want is to support Catalonia said. The Madrid government has made a play unworthy! And from now on, when speaking of ethics, moral, we can talk about us, but not them. ” Two years later, after a labyrinthine process, the court case was filed. But the imagery of Spain’s dirty war against Pujol (Catalonia and, by extension) stuck. In fact, the incriminating letter, the ‘president’ says his father left because he felt the hidden heritage “erroneous and uncertain future” your choice in politics. The beneficiaries were Ferrusola and children, as Florenci “I was afraid of what might happen to a compromised politician.” Franco took the money to great fortunes once won the Civil War, and it was common some Catalan elite accounts in Andorra, a tax haven and a half hours by car from Barcelona. In 1959, the dictatorship Florenci included in the list of tax evaders with accounts in Switzerland. In the letter, the president apologized and said that “unfortunately never found the right time to regularize that heritage. ” In democracy, the Spanish government has made three tax amnesties, some supported by the votes of CiU. On 14 July, four children and Ferrusola submitted additional tax returns, to bring out the Andorran heritage. Confession patriarch fell like a bomb just four months after the deadline is met to inquire about the independence of Catalonia, which support other forces, like Republican Left.Artur Mas, current president and successor Pujol hand picked, tried to cut their losses and said it was “a personal matter. ” A statement that contrasts with the defense that was made when the first news reports hinted that fraud and branded him “attacks to Catalonia” by his decision to walk towards separatism. The ex-lover of Jordi Pujol Ferrusola the firstborn, confessed how this pulled bags full of 500 euro principality in the Pyrenees. The National Court is now investigating his movements. “My family and I have a clear conscience, because, after all endure 22 years, has not been able to prove anything. Is that my children can not work? (To question) is a way of doing politics not worthy, mess it all and hurts the mood of the country, “said Pujol in an interview in 2002, when asked by the cloak of doubt that excited procurement to companies environment of their offspring.
Pujol resigned last week to his annuity (216 million pesos per year), the treatment protocol “very honorable” and other perks and all honorary positions party.
“It’s sad, but Catalonia is above all relevant person who has been,” said Josep Rull, organizing secretary of CDC and replacing Oriol Pujol, dolphin political clan, that his career was cut short by being accused of influence peddling to award licenses to companies that make mechanical technical reviews.
The Catalan National Assembly, the citizen movement that promotes independence, also marked distances. “If we do cleaning, we can not build a new country,” argued the president Carmen Forcadell. A position very supported in the radical circles of independence, they have always seen the Pujol as part of a caste.
A while ago, Pujol admitted that he did not want to end his life as the former Chancellor Helmut Kohl, whose image of undeniable prestige collapsed irregular funding scandal. But can even do it in the same country: say you go to live in Germany to bear the shame of having shown the way to the Catalans with one hand, while with the other hidden black money in Andorra <. itemprop p = "ArticleBody"> Camilo Baquero Sixto Medina
TIME
Special to Barcelona.
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