The economic, political
and social reasons for
founding a Catalan State
2
Index presentation
Purpose and Structure of the Foundation
Catalan Fiscal Deficit
Catalan Social Security Fiscal Deficit
Constraints to Development
Results
Is it convenient for Catalonia to be part of Spain?
Catalan State
Bibliography
Purpose and Structure
of the Foundation
4
Structure of the Foundation
Territorial
Discourse
Direct action campaigns in the media: press and
radio, books, videos ...
Forum Influen. people
Sponsors
Associates
Friends
Image &
Communication Institutional
Relations
Catalan State
5
Organizational chart of Catalonia State Foundation
EXECUTIVE
BOARD
Area
DISCOURSE “The economic, political and
social reasons, for founding
a Catalan State”
Area
IMAGE & COMUNICATION Advertising campaigns, media
and public relations
Area
INSTITUTIONAL Relations with Institutions,
Official Bodies and Parties
INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE President
Relevant persons / Patrons
AREA MANAGERS Sponsors or Associate representatives
Territorial actions
Catalan Fiscal Deficit
7
Catalan Fiscal Deficit
What is the fiscal balance?
Public expenditure done in a territory – taxes generated in this
territory = Fiscal Balance
If is + Fiscal surplus If is – Fiscal deficit
Calculation Method: Cash flow
Spending is attributed to the territory where it is done.
(The activity of public sector benefits a territory)
(Source: Elisenda Paluzie. CEC - Espoli del Països Catalans 22.10.2008)
0
2.000
4.000
6.000
8.000
10.000
12.000
14.000
16.000
18.000
20.000
1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010
Catalan fiscal deficit in million euros
8
250 billion euros in 25 years
18,5 billion euros
(2011)
(Source: Resultat de la balança fiscal de Catalunya amb el sector públic central 2006-2009 Gencat, març de 2012
and Ministerio de Economia y Hacienda, Instituto de Estudios Fiscales, Madrid 15.07.2008)
9
Catalan fiscal deficit estimated 2011
Catalan GDP of 210bn euros
Fiscal deficit of 8.8% of GDP
A population of 7,4 million inhabitants
Per person are:
2,500 euros / year
(Source: Estimació Balances Fiscals CCAA Estat espanyol 1995-2005, Fundació Josep Irla)
10
The perversion of the current model
(Source: AVUI - Política 23.12.2008)
Catalonia drops
8 positions,
from 3r to 11th
11
And the principle of fiscal ranking?
(Source: AVUI - Política 1.07.2009 and 14.07.2009)
Catalonia
should be in
3rd position
-------
We have lost a
good criteria
Article 206.5 of the Statute says: "The State shall ensure that the application of leveling mechanisms do not alter in any position of Catalonia in the order of “income per capita” across regions before leveling”.
12
Comparison with the special Basque charter
(Source: AVUI - Política 22.07.2009)
Catalonia suffered a
negative return of
€14,5bn (2006)
Catalonia (2006)
2,143 euros per inhabitant
Basque Country (2006)
5,833 euros per inhabitant
13
Fiscal balances in Germany
(Source: El Periódico, Política 20.04.2009 - AVUI, Món i Política 16.05.2010
Directe.cat Internacional 16.10.2010 i Presència Política 25.01.2011)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Hessen
Baden-
Würt
tem
berg
Bayern
Ham
burg
Nord
rhein
-
Westf
ale
n
Nie
ders
achsen
Schle
sw
ig-
Hols
tein
Rhein
land-
Pfa
lz
Saarland
Bra
ndenburg
Sachsen-
Anhalt
Sachsen
Thüringen
Meckle
nburg
-
Vorp
om
mern
Bre
men
Berlin
Índex
Index of founds before leveling index of founds after leveling
The Baviera State, the main taxpayer,
provided €3,5bn (2010)
14
Fiscal balances in Spain
(Source: Generalitat de Catalunya, abril del 2009)
Catalonia loses 8 positions, it’s that fair?
This is not correct
15
Catalonia, the most fiscally exploited country
in the world
USA: 2.5% of GDP
Canada: 2% of GDP
Australia: 2% of GDP
Catalonia: 8.8% of GDP
Fiscal transfer allowed
16
What could we do with all this money?
18,5bn euros 50 million euros a day
The new terminal of BCN airport
Capacity for 30 million of passengers.
Will generate 3,000 direct jobs and 37,000
indirect jobs. Cost of €1,2bn.
Paid off in 25 days.
Roads
Cost of the road Lleida-Girona: €0,4bn.
Covert into a four-line highway: €0,7bn.
The equivalent of 14 days of fiscal plunder.
(Source: La Vanguardia14.06.2009 i La Generalitat de Catalunya 5.01.2009)
(Source: Observatori del Finançament de Catalunya)
17
What could we do with all this money?
18,5bn euros 50 million euros a day
Hospitals
The new Hospital in Mollet del Vallès with
160 beds, it has a cost of 61 million euros.
Nearly a Hospital every day.
Educational centers
To built a new school has an average cost of
between 3,5 and 4 million euros.
It will be possible to built 12 schools every day.
(Source: AVUI Política 20.07.2009 )
(Source: Dossier de premsa. Hospital de Mollet
Generalitat de Catalunya 31.07.2010)
18
What could we do with all this money?
18,5bn euros 50 million euros a day
Centre for Biomedical Research Esther Koplowitz
The new building of the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona has 14,506 m2 housing 400 medical researchers. Cost: 60,7 million euros. Almost every day a research center.
Local Heath Center (CAP) The new CAP of Borges Blanques will attend to 17,000 users. Surface 2,213 m2 two-storey Cost: 5 million euros. Every day 10 local health centers can be built.
(Source: AVUI Societat 4.10.2010)
(Source: Gencat - Departament de salut
Notes de premsa 1.10.2010)
19
Simulation of an annual budget
Catalan fiscal deficit estimated on 18,5 billion euros
Extra Catalan Budget 2012 Amount million €
Qty Total
Direct contribution to the European Union 1,000 1 1,000
Embassies and consulates, like Ireland 200 1 200
Hospitals, like the one from Mollet del Vallés with 160 beds 60 5 300
Convert into a four-line highway the road Lleida to Girona 700 1 700
Help the small-medium size companies and start-ups 2,400 1 2,400
Freight-line connecting ports Tarragona-Barcelona to France 1,200 1 1,200
Research and Development (R&D) 2,000 1 2,000
Advanced technological centers 200 2 400
Change all pre-fabricated modules of catalan schools 2,000 1 2,000
Universitary campus for 7,000 students 130 2 260
Social housing programs 0,0036 400,000 1,440
Aged / handicapped welfare program (only 54,000 people) 0,0014 150,000 250
Pensioners, extra payment of 1,200 euros 0,001 1,5 1,800
University scholarships of 1,000 euros a month 0,010 200,000 2,000
Creation of a network of basketball courts 0,4 1,000 400
Emergency provisions 2,150
Total simulation, million of euros 18,500
And in 2013? and in 2014? and in 2015? ....
20
And a catalan family?
2,500 x 4 persons = 10,000 euros each year
833 euros a month !!!
Help to pay the mortgage
Books for the school
New laptop
Kindergartens / Nanny
Increase the pension
To buy a new car
Savings...
(Source: Observatori del Finançament de Catalunya)
21
Budget Generalitat de Catalunya 2012
37 billion euros
+ 18 fiscal deficit
-----------------------------
Total 55 billion euros
Increase of 50%
22
Fiscal Deficit Compared
(Source: Entre l’Espanya i la paret. Xavier Roig 2003)
How should the Spanish people view the generosity of Catalonia that
has contributed Spanish GDP over 9% for more than twenty years?
FISCAL DEFICIT Amount
aprox.
Amount
updated
Total
inhabitants
Amount
person
year
% Income
personPeriod
Marshall Plan (USA)
1948-195113.300 M$ 97.000 M$ 147 M 164 $ 1,23% 4 years
German Reunification
1990-1999600.000 M$ 61 M 980 $ 3,75% 10 years
Fiscal Deficit Catalonia
versus Spain 2010 18.000 M€ 7,5 M 2.400 € 8,6% UNLIMITED
Catalan Fiscal Deficit
Social Security System
24
Plundering the Catalan pension system
Period 2004 – 2007
+ 90 billion euros 23.9% of all State, has been paid by Catalonia
- 76 billion euros 20.6% received by the Catalan pensioners
----------------------------------------------
- 13 billion euros
----------------------------------------------
(Source: Cercle d’Estudis Sobiranistes. Elisenda Paluzie 2009)
This is the ruin of Catalans
25
Contributions to the Spanish pension reserve fund
(Source: Escanyar els pensionistes. Alfons López Tena. AVUI Diàleg 28.06.2009)
The Spanish, that
are 38,5 million
inhabitants,
only contribute
€4,5bn 7,1 million of
Catalans
contribute
€13bn
Period 2004 - 2007
We are the ones that finance pensions for the
Spanish, that they cannot sustain
Catalonia
74,4%
Spain
25,6%
26
How our pensions could be improved?
With our own State we will spread the 13bn euros (2004-07):
1. Increasing general pensions by 25%
€ 175 per month x 14 payments = € 2,450 each year
2. Lower contributions from companies and workers by 14.7%
while maintaining current pension.
3. Foresee a reserve fund
to cover future pensions.
(Source: AVUI – Diàleg: Escanyar els pensionistes. Alfons López Tena 28.06.2009)
27
Contributory pensions in Spain
(Source: Expansión - Economía y Política 6.07.2010)
Catalunya
74,4%
Pensioners:
● 25% receive less than
500€ a month.
● Another 50% between
600 and 800€ a month.
● Only 25% exceed
1,000€ monthly.
It does not take into
account the cost of living.
In Catalonia
pensions are too low
in relation to our
cost of living
Constraints to
development
29
Investment level from Spanish State in Catalonia
(Source: EL TEMPS - L’espoli de l’espoli. Núm 1268 - 30.09.2008)
30
The state does less than a half
the infrastructures that would be necessary
N-II, the motorway to nowhere.
A symbol of the Spanish national contempt for Catalonia.
This road is a national motorway through all Spain until it reaches Catalonia.
In 20 years the Spanish state has only been capable of turning 8 km of this road into highway in Girona.
(Source: EL PUNT AVUI – Política: El debat del Parlament 24.05.2012 i El Periódico - Gironès 4.10.2009)
In 2011 the State investment in infrastructures was less than a half of the 3,1 billion euros budgeted or to be exact, only 1,4 billion euros.
This figures make clear the flagrant plundering of the Catalan taxpayers by Spanish state.
31
For the Spanish there is always money
Free Highway Silver Route
From Gijón to Sevilla the highway A-66 has 809 km. Finished in 2011, after 7 years of construction.
(Source: La Voz de Asturias. Noticias Asturias 7.08.2006 i 2.03.2009)
32
Madrid: 600 km – Barcelona: 20 km (Free highways built by the Spanish Government between 1985– 2005)
(Source: Cercle d’Estudis Sobiranistes)
33
What about the kindergartens?
The ones who come out winning are always the same.
(Source: OCU - Compra Maestra nº 346 març 2010)
34
Our students in pre-fabricated units !!!
The 2011-12 school year began with a record of pre-fab units: 1,057 for 20,000 students. Solved with 2 billion euros.
The Community of Madrid has not a single one.
(Source: EL PUNT AVUI - Societat 8.09.2011)
35
The scandal of the Catalan student grants
Spanish State refuses to transfer the responsibility for the student grant system, even though the Spanish Constitutional Court sentence in 2001, giving the Catalan Government, La Generalitat, the sole responsibility in this matter.
“The law is only the law when it suits them”. (Source: La Vanguardia – Opinión: La paciencia tiene un límite. Isabel García Pagan 5.01.2010)
Catalan Students, 17% of the whole Spanish state, only receive 8% of the scholarships.
Spanish State does not comply with the law.
(Source: Universitat: Les beques catalanes. Enric I. Canela 21.05.2009)
36
170 million euros: fiscal deficit of 0,7% for the NGO
Catalonia has only received 120
of the 290 million of the income tax
that the Catalans have destined to
social ends during the last 5 years.
In spite of the sentences of the
Spanish Supreme Court and the
Spanish Constitutional Court, the
two main Spanish political parties,
PP and PSC-PSOE, refuse to
allow the Catalan government to
manage these subsidies.
Yet another robbery.
(Font: EL PUNT AVUI – Societat: Col·lectius 6.05.2012)
37
Spanish Railway Infrastructure
Objective: make us unnecessary
(Source: Catalunya Acció. Juny 2007)
The stretch
Sagunto-Teruel-Zaragoza
has cost 1,3 billion euros
over the last four years
(Source: AVUI – Política: Ramon Tremosa 24.08.2009)
40% of GDP and 50% of exports
come from the Spanish territories
on the Mediterranean seaboard
Valencia
Cuenca
38
Two freight lines and its price
Algeciras – Madrid – Irun – Lyon
Distance 2,200 km price for the transport of 1,000 tons: 94,000 euros.
Algeciras – Valencia – Barcelona – Lyon
Distance 1,700 km price for the transport of 1,000 tons: 70,000 euros.
(Source: La Vanguardia – Política: Salvador Enguix 25.10.2009)
Transport cost
(euro x 1,000 tons x km)
Road: 87,8 € - Ship: 22,5 €
Railway: 17,9 € (Source: El Periódico
Societat 19.11.2009)
39
Europe gives priority to
the Mediterranean freight line
Despite Spanish government common resistance, the European Union has finally imposed economic sense and designated the Mediterranean freight line top priority.
(Source: EL PUNT AVUI – Catalunya: infraestructures 19.10.2011)
A pity: The double line between
Barcelona-Valencia is not completed.
The 61 km between Tarragona and
Vandellòs has been abandoned.
40
The freight access
to the port of Barcelona
The lack of rail links strangles the country’s economic growth.
One of the priorities of the Generalitat of Catalonia is to ensure that the construction of the long-awaited road and rail links to the port of Barcelona, do not remain collecting dust on some Spanish government shelf sine die.
The port of Barcelona is finishing the new giant container terminal promoted by the leading world Chinese logistics company Hutchinson, witch will convert the port of Barcelona into the major logistic platform of Southern Europe at a cost of nearly 4bn euros.
For this reason, finishing the work to make the train to arrive to the port is absolutely indispensable. However, the decisions taken in the last few years regarding infrastructures by the Spanish government do not make us optimistic.
(Source: ARA – Tema del dia: Infraestructures pendents 5.03.2012)
41
High-speed railway (AVE)
The ruin of Spain
The State has spent 50 billion euros in high-speed projects that will
not have enough travellers to pay for the maintenance of the lines.
A mammoth project, exceeded only by China.
Unsustainable. While the ratio of passengers per kilometre in Spain
is 2,8 passengers, in France it is 41,5.
Maintaining one kilometre of high speed track costs 100,000 euros a
year and 200,000 euros a year per kilometre of tunnel.
Meanwhile goods traffic is declining. Since the year 2000 the
percentage of rail freight traffic has fallen from 7% to 5%.
(Source: AVUI – Societat: Infraestructures 23.05.2010)
42
I can’t believe it !!!
In the newspaper there is the look of surprise on the face of the
American Secretary of State for Transport, Ray LaHood, when he
was shown the map of the high speed Spanish railway network, to
which his response was:
You must be very rich, we cannot afford it
Time has shown that we are not so rich, we just tried to seem so.
(Source: La Vanguardia – La segona: El corredor mediterrani 8.09.2011)
43
The never ending story
of the transfer of the local train network (Renfe)
The Spanish Transport Ministry has not transferred the physical infrastructure of the Catalan local railway network.
However the Catalan Government has received the transfer of the rather less exciting responsibilities for:
Time table, prices, information and cleaning.
(Source: EL PUNT - Punt de Vista: L’Encaix 3.01.2010 i La galeria 16.01.2010)
While this exciting transfer was being signed, the Spanish Railway Company (Renfe) informed that there would be an increase in ticket
prices of 6%, only applicable in Catalonia.
44
Only one kilometer of truck laid in 20 years
Abandoned. The passengers train has been completely ignored by the Spanish state investments in Catalonia.
(Source: EL PUNT AVUI – Catalunya: El dèficit de la xarxa ferroviària de Catalunya 28.05.2012)
The stretch
of line
between
Vandellòs
and Castellò
is still single
track
45
The railway network
The Spanish state following any economic logic, should prioritize the Mediterranean freight, but this would break with their own Spanish internal logic of “coffee for everybody” and the vision of the radial infrastructure with Madrid as the lynch-pin.
(Source: AVUI – Diàleg: Europa visita Catalunya 13.03.2011)
Spain has become a second class country because it
does not invest in infrastructures with cost-benefit criteria
46
Barcelona airport
(Source: Cercle d’Estudis Sobiranistes, L’estat espanyol contra Catalunya: la prohibició d’ús dels aeroports
catalans en els Convenis Internacionals acordats per l’estat espanyol 19.02.2008)
The Spanish Airport Authorities signed agreements with all these
countries between 1954-1993 imposing the use of Madrid airport and
explicitly prohibiting the use of Barcelona airport for international flights
America Africa Asia EuropeBolivia, 1974 Ivory Coast, 1976 Korea, 1989 Croacia, 1997
Canada, 1988 Gabón, 1976 India, 1987 URSS, 1976
Costa Rica, 1979 Equatorial Guinea, 1971 Iran, 1996
El Salvador, 1997 Kenya, 1981 Iraq, 1980
Guatemala, 1971 Mali, 1990 Japan, 1980
México, 1978 Nigeria, 1975 Kuwait, 1979
Peru, 1954 Sierra Leone, 1976 Malysia, 1993
Dominican Rep, 1968 Pakistan, 1979
Uruguay, 1979 Siria, 1979
Chile, 1974 Thailand, 1979
USA, 1973 (Miami and San Juan de Puerto Rico) Compulsory use of Madrid-Barajas airport
47
This is called abuse of power
(Source: EL TEMPS – Portada: Què ens costa Iberia? N. 1443 7.02.2012)
This is one of
the reasons
for the loss of
competitiveness
and business
opportunities
in Catalonia
48
What a mess!
Germany, a country with 82 million inhabitants and a GDP three times higher than Spain, only has 38 airports.
(Source: La Gaceta – Negocios Empresas 3.08.2008)
Spain today
has 50 and
in 2020 will
have 59
49
A Catalan couple pays today a 15%
more taxes than a Madrid couple
A Madrid couple saves 444 euros due to the lower rate of the Madrid Autonomous government taxes.
The comparison has been done taking as a basis a couple with two children and lower middle income of 43,000 euros a year.
The regional variation between one region and another can be as much as 1,000 euros.
(Source: AVUI - Economia 26.02.2009)
50
One of the highest taxed countries in the world
(Source: Expansión – Menos gasto y más impuestos 31.12.2011
La Vanguardia – Opinió: Tan escandinaus 4.01.2012)
Catalonia and Sweden are
the countries where their
employees pay more taxes
in Europe, with 56%
maximum rate.
A catalan has an income
tax rate of almost twenty
points higher than the EU
average and fifteen points
higher than the average
citizens of the euro area.
Collection or confiscation?
A catalan citizen that earns 400,000
euros will pay 10,000 euros more
than a Madrid citizen
51
The crisis has placed Catalans among
the most highly taxed citizens in the world
(Source: El Periódico - Economia 6.10.2010)
When we
will say
enough?
It can put
a break on
attracting
talented
people to
Catalonia
Andalusia has 8,1 million inhabitants and Catalonia has 7,3 million.
(Source: INE a 1 de juliol del 2009)
Why such a big difference?
(Source: EL Economista 24.07.2009)
Neither do I understand that in the 7 Andalusian provinces there are more handicapped people than retired people, unless they have suffered a nuclear explosion, as Felipe Gonzalez, the ex-President once said.
(Source: EL PUNT -
Punt de Vista 5.10.2010)
State aid for the aged and handicapped people
52
53
Spain: country of public workers
In Spain there are already more than 3,1 millions of public workers.
Catalonia is the community that has less public workers.
150,000 civil servants in Madrid, in theory don’t do anything, because their functions have been transferred to the Autonomous region, who are now responsible for Health, Culture and Education. (Source: AVUI 1.08.2008)
A public worker costs almost twice as much as a private sector worker. In 2009 the cost was 50,000 € compare to 28,800 €.
(Source: La Gaceta de los Negocios 4.10.2008)
(Source: La Vanguardia - Economia 6.10.2010
54
PER (Rural Unemployment Subsidy)
Spain is different. Official figures state that in all of Spain, there are 95,101 people registered unemployed in the Agricultural sector.
However in Andalusia and Extremadura 158,548 people receive agricultural unemployment benefit.
Though officially you need to work 20 days to have the right to claim the PER, in reality 83.3% of the beneficiaries had only worked for 7 days.
Tip for scroungers. Register your self in any of the 8 Andalusian or the 2 provinces of Extremadura and you will be able to receive this Agricultural Subsidy.
(Source: El Economista - Economia: El PER que no cesa 18.08.2009)
55
Facts and figures
The Spanish state has injected 9bn euros to cover the hole in the Caja Castilla-La Mancha savings bank, produced as a result of financing dubious real-state projects.
The prime example is the ghost airport in Ciudad Real (Don Quixote). The mammoth airport costing 1,1 billion euros with the longest runaway in Europe (4 km). At present it is in disuse. Having reached the giddy heights of 3 flights per week.
This mammoth project is for a city of 75,000 inhabitants situated 168 km from Madrid.
(Source: AVUI - Política 7.03.2009)
(Source: Especial - Época 27.02 – 5.03.2009 and AVUI - Bústia 2.09.2010)
56
The Catalan hospital waiting lists
The number of people waiting for a non urgent surgical operation grew
by 24,000 in 2011 (42%) reaching the figures of 80,540 patients.
(Source: EL PUNT AVUI - Societat 4.10.2001)
That happens
because Spain creams off
18,5 billion euros
from the Catalan GDP
every year
57
Eight communities spend more in health care
than Catalonia
Basque Country, Navarra, Asturias, Castilla-León, Aragón,
Extremadura, Murcia and La Rioja are above Catalonia in health
expenditure per capita.
(Source: AVUI - Societat 5.01.2001)
Catalonia
is always
below
national
average
58
Tributary inspeccions are killing Catalonia
From 2000 to 2008 the extra tax revenue from fiscal inspections in Catalonia has been 1,8 billion euros,
while in Madrid only 0,9 billion and in Andalusia 0,3 billion euros
(Source: Directe.cat – Actualitat 15.11.2010)
Catalonia has
suffered twice
the number of
inspections than
Madrid
Catalonia suffers
six times more
inspections than
Andalusia
59
The TC and the financing
The sentence of the Spanish Constitutional High Court (TC) destroyed the new financial system, approved by popular referendum the year before, by removing the three basic pillars:
1. The ranking principle (article 206)
2. The bilateral relationship between Catalonia and Spain (article 210)
3. A guarantee of a minimum State investment in infrastructures proportional to Catalan contribution to the GDP (19%)
The conclusion is that the Spanish TC perpetuates and legitimates the plundering of Catalan fiscal resources.
They want us as taxpayers on the first level,
but citizens in second or third class
(Source: AVUI - Política Anàlisi 14.07.2010)
60
The Government will sell 26 buildings
The Generalitat of Catalonia, who hopes to pull in with theses sales 450 million euros, has extended to 31st of January the deadline to close the operation.
Among the buildings to be sold off are the headquarters of the Ministries of Education at Via Augusta street (52 per million), Agriculture in the Gran Via street (27 million), Employment in Sepulveda street (148 million) and headquarters of the stock exchange market in Barcelona, passeig de Gracia (57,4 million).
Catalan executive prefers to cut the salary of its public workers by 10% rather than risking a direct confrontation with the Spanish government, and they prefer to sell of their assets instead of defending them (Hèctor López Bofill).
(Source: ARA – Economia: immobiliari 14.12.2011 i EL PUNT AVUI – Governar contra Catalunya 14.12.2011)
61
The elimination of the Catalan savings banks
The Spanish State has won: with the exception of La Caixa, which is now a bank, it has succeeded in eliminating all the Catalan savings banks.
(Source: Bloc de notes de Josep Romeu - 6.10.2011)
62
27 years of European Funds for Spain
Spain has received in European Funds between 1986 – 2013 a total of 144 billion euros from the European Union.
(Source: Economy Weblog – http:// economy.blogs.ie.edu / archives / 2007 / 01 / menos_fondos _eu.php)
Why does everybody
speak so well of the
European Funds but
nobody thanks
Catalonia for its
incredibly generous
inter-regional
solidarity or rather
fiscal plundering?
In the same period, Spain has taken from Catalonia 300 billion euros
63
Lost opportunities
All strategic economic projects financed by the Spanish Government in Catalonia are carried out with an average delay of at least fifteen years.
This 15-year delay means lost opportunities for generating wealth and should be included in the fiscal deficit between Catalonia and Spain.
(Source: ARA – Debat: Intel·ligència estratègica 12.03.2012)
Lost profit or lucrum cesans is the financial loss which occurs when one party fails to meet its
obligations and thereby provokes a financial loss to the other party. This loss is the amount the
victim would have earned if the other party had not failed in his obligations. The party which has
failed in its duties should compensate the other for this loss.
How can this be calculated?
64
Fiscal deficit Social deficit
(Source: Crónica.cat - Entrevista: Ramon Tremosa 27.09.2010)
Deficit fiscal means worse education, lower living
standard, poorer health care and less investment in
infrastructures.
The fiscal deficit is the tool Spanish State uses
to impoverish the Catalan economy and
to limit the Catalan economic potential,
so that they can continue to control us
Results
66
Spanish mentality
These Catalans have to be economically strangled.
(Francisco Franco, ex-dictator)
The economic future of Catalonia will be that of a workforce of construction workers and waiters.
(Felipe González, ex-Prime Minister)
This is the proof that the system is working (referring to the Catalan fiscal deficit).
(José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, ex-Prime Minister)
If they want anything, the Catalans can come every year to feed out
of our hand. (Alfonso Guerra, ex-Vice President)
(Source: AVUI - Alfons López Tena 13.10.2008 and EL PUNT – Opinió: Biel Ferrer 12.08.2009)
67
Spanish mentality
Jordi Pujol, ex-President of Catalonia, explains things said to him by a high ranking Spanish politician:
You, the Catalans, can pay for our being generous with the other regions of Spain.
We know the system is very unfair with you, the Catalans, but it suits us fine, so shut up.
And what am I going to say to the people on permanent benefit in the south of Spain, the day after you get independent?
(Eduardo Zaplana, ex-Minister of Labour)
(Source: AVUI - Alfons López Tena 13.10.2008 and EL PUNT – Opinió: Biel Ferrer 12.08.2009)
68
Spanish mentality
The language of Spain is Spanish, not Castilian! Spanish is the common language for everybody. It is the national language that units all of Spain. I will do everything to avoid destroying national unity.
Catalonia was first occupied by king Philip IV, and then it was occupied again by king Philip V who conquered it.
It was bombarded by General Espartero, the revolutionary general, and then we occupied it in 1939 and we are ready to occupy Catalonia as many times as necessary. And for this reason I am ready to take up arms again.
So, you the Catalans, know what you are in for; and here I have my gun ready to use again
(Manuel Fraga, Franco Minister - 1968)
(Source: AVUI - Alfons López Tena 13.10.2008 ind EL PUNT – Opinió: Biel Ferrer 12.08.2009)
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The risk of becoming poor is increasing
in Catalonia
One in five Catalans are at risk of falling bellow the poverty line.
One in three women older than 65 years, are at risk.
Five out of 1,000 Catalans are homeless.
(Source: ARA - Crònica societat: Reportatge 3.01.2011)
This is
direct result
of the tax
plundering
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We are at the limit
(Font: EL PUNT AVUI – Economia i La Vanguardia – Economia 16.06.2012)
Record, the Catalan national debt rose to 42bn euros in the 1st q of 2012. This represents 21,1% of the Catalan GDP, which compare to the other countries is reasonable.
The refusal of the Spanish government to make the payments of 4,1bn euro owed according to the precepts of the Statuary Law, has contributed to the need for borrowing in Catalonia.
592,5 bn € 55,2% Spanish GDP debt of Central Administration
145,1 bn € 13,5% Spanish GDP debt of Autonomies
36,8 bn € 3,4% Spanish GDP debt of Councils
774,4 bn € 72,1% Spanish GDP total national debt of Spain
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How lucky we were that in 2009 the Generalitat
of Catalonia signed a “historical” new financial
agreement with the Spanish Central Government
(Source: ARA – Economia: Tema del dia 21.11.2011)
We have to go further into debt so as not to face up to our fiscal plunderers. Crazy and cowardly.
The financial
ruin of Catalonia
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A fact
Who does the Catalan tax revenue belong to?
The loss of our tax revenue creates poverty
Anyone with an income of less than 60% of the average family income is considered poor.
According this, the poverty rate in Catalonia in the year 2000 was 18.6%, more than 1,2 million people (5.850 € per person/year).
There are as many poor people in Catalonia as inhabitants of Extremadura. (Source: La Vanguardia – Opinión: Carlos Sentis 24.07.2009).
(Source: Informe 2003 de l’Observatori de la Pobresa i l’exclusió social. Caixa Catalunya)
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Result: Catalonia is sinking
The Catalan financial resources per capita drops from 3rd to 11th position after the Spanish State redistributes our tax revenues.
Catalonia has dropped 6 places between 2003 and 2006 in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking published in Switzerland.
In the Index of Human Development of the United Nations, Catalonia has fallen from 14th to 18th position between the years 2000 and 2007 , while at the same time Spain gone up from 21st to 13th position.
(Source: AVUI – Diàleg: Il·lusió fracassada. Alfons López Tena 5.10.2008)
Is it convenient
for Catalonia
to be part of Spain?
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Is it convenient for Catalonia to be part of Spain?
In 1993, Felipe González, ex-prime Minister, helped Barcelona to lose the possibility of being the seat of the European capital of medicine.
In 2003, José Maria Aznar, ex-prime Minister, helped Barcelona to lose the possibility of being the seat of the European capital of the food sector.
The Spanish government refused to ask for EEC financing of the line 9 of Barcelona underground.
In 2006, José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, ex-prime Minister, refused to meet the conditions to allow Nissan to build a new automotive plant in Odena, near Barcelona.
Catalonia lost another 400 millions in new investments. Incredible!
(Source: Ramon Tremosa. Catalunya serà logística o no serà. 2007 i
Francesc Sanuy, El Singular Digital, Economia 24.02.2010)
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Jordi Pujol, ex-President of Catalonia
The bridges between Spain and Catalonia are broken.
We cannot believe in the Spain of today.
During many years the majority of Catalan citizens had not had
separatist feelings. Before I could find arguments against the
separatist movement, now I fail to find any.
Becoming independent will not be easy. The other option is very
simple, obliteration. In the light of this, people who would never have
dreamed of doing so, will vote for independence.
(Source: El Temps Nº 1391 del 8.02.2011 i Ara - aracrònicapolítica 26.01.2011)
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This political map was published in 1854
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No one listened to him
In this book published in the year 1985 the Catalan political leader and economist, Ramon Trias Fargas, said:
(Font: Narració d’una asfíxia premeditada. Ramon Trias Fargas. Editorial Afers 2011)
“From the first day, the Madrid politicians
understood that the most efficient way to keep a
stranglehold on the Catalan autonomy was to
keep it on the bread line, and dry bread at that.
Self-government without money is like having a
car without petrol.
However we have to admit that for different
motives we, the Catalans, have not been able to
combat this strategy”.
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State policies
Fiscal and Economic
Education and Research
Health and Social Security
Sport and Culture
Security and Defence
Justice and Law and Order
Trade and Industry
Foreign policy
...
Without State we cannot have our own policies
80
With the Castilian mentality, in their project for Spain
there is no room for the welfare or
the economic development of Catalonia
Catalan State
82
Comparative UE-28, with Catalonia
(Source: Eurostat - Euroindicators and INE )
Catalonia
as a State
would be
the 7th
richest
state of the
European
Union
Nr Country (2011) PIB (PPC)
per capita
% UE-27
PIB (PPC) per capita
Population milion
inhabitants
1 Luxemburg 68.900 274 0,5
2 Netherlands 32.900 131 16,6
3 Austria 32.299 129 8,4
4 Ireland 31.800 127 4,4
5 Sweden 31.700 126 9,4
6 Denmark 31.500 125 5,5
Catalonia as a State 30.500 121 7,4
7 Germany 30.100 120 81,7
8 Belgium 29.700 118 10,9
9 Finland 29.200 116 5,3
Catalonia region 28.270 113 7,4
10 United Kingdom 27.200 108 62,4
11 France 27.000 107 65,0
12 Italy 25.300 101 60,6
UE-27 = 100 25.100 100 502,4
13 Spain 24.700 99 46,1
Bibliography
84
Bibliography
Catalunya, país emergent. Ramon Tremosa. Tres i Quatre.
Catalunya serà logística o no serà. Ramon Tremosa. Tres i Quatre.
Economia de la Unión Europea. Jaime de Pablo. Paraninfo.
Economia liberal per a No liberals i No economistes. Xavier Sala. Dèria Editors.
L’espoli fiscal. Una asfíxia premeditada. Jordi Pons / Ramon Tremosa. Tres i Quatre.
Catalunya: estat de la nació. 28 autors. Raval Edicions.
Catalunya sota Espanya. Alfons López Tena. Dèria Editors.
L’Estat contra els pobles. Jaume Renyer. Arola Editors.
2014. Que parli el poble català. Josep Lluís Carod-Rovira. L’arquer.
Per què ens cal una Catalunya independent? Martí Guerrero. La Busca Edicions.
Delenda est Catatonia. Enric Vila Casas. Viena Edicions.
Entre l’espanya i la paret. Xavier Roig. Edicions La Campana.
Catalans. Alfred Bosch i Noemí Ibáñez. Edicions 62.
El mirall escocès. Xavier Solano. Dèria Editors.
Les ciutats creatives. Richard Florida. Raval Edicions, Pòrtic.
Catalanisme Obert al Segle XXI: L’Economia. Xavier Sala i Martín. Nov 2001.
Ferrmed Great Axis Rail Freight Network and its area of influence. Brussels, Oct 2009.
La viabilitat de la independència de Catalunya. Jacint Ros Hombravella. Dèria Editors.
Sense Espanya. Balanç econòmic de la independència. Guinjoan i Cuadras. Pòrtic 2011.
85
Bibliography
Residuals o independents? Jordi Pujol. Raval Edicions SLU, Pòrtic.
Informe Diagonal o com aturar l’independentisme. Josep Gimeno. A Contra Vent Editors.
Cartes d’independència a la vora d’una tassa de te. Isabel-Clara Simó i Patrícia Gabancho. A Contra Vent Editors.
El preu de ser espanyol per a un ciutadà de Catalunya. Joan Hugué i Rovirosa. Duxelm.
Montenegro sí, Catalunya també. Hèctor López Bofill i Uriel Bertran. Ara llibres.
Converses amb Oriol Junqueras. Bernat Ferrer. Viena Edicions.
Catalunya Independent en el SI de la Unió Europea. Antoni Abat i Ninet. CES.
86
Bibliography
Statistical data bases:
Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), Institut d’Estadística de Catalunya (IDESCAT), Ministerio de Economía y Hacienda, La Generalitat de Catalunya, Eurostat, Caixa de Catalunya, Observatori del Finançament de Catalunya, el Cercle d’Estudis Sobiranistes, la Cambra de Comerç de Barcelona, l’Institut Ignasi Villalonga and Ferrmed.
Press:
AVUI, La Vanguardia, El Periódico de Catalunya, El Punt, Expansión, EL TEMPS, B-30, La Gaceta de los Negocios, Dossier Econòmic, Presència, El Mundo, El Singular Digital, Público, ARA, El Economista, Paradigmes, L’Econòmic and Món Empresarial.
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You will find us in:
www.fundaciocatalunyaestat.cat
88
If we want, we can
The important thing is not the size of the state,
but its efficiency!