Aliança Catalana calls for fast-track evictions and tougher penalties against squatters

Aliança Catalana dives right into one of the hottest topics in current Catalan politics: squatting. The party leader, Aurora Fornos, has advocated for the promotion of tougher legislation to put an end to this problem.

She did so at the event organized this Wednesday by the College of Property Registrars at the Círculo Ecuestre. The secretary of institutional policy for Aliança Catalana, Aurora Fornos, was one of the star guests at the event. In her speech, she presented her party's vision on the housing crisis in Catalonia.

The event was moderated by the dean of the registrars, Vicente J. García-Hinojal, and presented by Marta Gómez, director of Institutional Relations. It was held in a dialogue format divided into eight thematic blocks.

Each one addressed key issues, such as the limited housing supply, rental regulation, taxation, illegal occupation, or the impact of immigration on the real estate market.

Failure of regulation

Fornos has advocated for a model based on market freedom, respect for private property, and the promotion of business initiative. She has blamed the State and its public policies for having caused an artificial shortage through intervention and excessive bureaucracy.

In her words, "the failure is not the market's, it's the State's." She has emphasized that without secure property and with adverse taxation, it's not possible to guarantee affordable housing.

One of Aliança Catalana's key proposals is regulatory simplification and the elimination of administrative obstacles to facilitate both construction and rehabilitation. Fornos has insisted on the need to offer legal stability and incentives to developers and investors to reactivate the sector. She has also called for the creation of guarantee mechanisms for rentals, such as public insurance that gives owners confidence.

Express evictions and tougher penalties

Faced with the problem of illegal occupation, Fornos has been forceful. She has called for urgent measures, such as express evictions within a maximum period of 48 hours and harsher criminal penalties for squatters. In her view, the current impunity harms both owners and the image of the market itself.

Regarding immigration, the Aliança Catalana representative has expressed her concern about the pressure it puts on housing availability. She has advocated for a controlled migration policy that takes into account the real capacity for integration and respect for the Catalan language and culture. According to the party, urban planning can't ignore this structural factor.

Regarding the rehabilitation of properties, Fornos has pointed out that it should be a strategic priority, though without impositions from the administration. She has supported genuine collaboration with the private sector, avoiding excessive regulations that make improvement works more expensive or slow them down.

Aurora Fornos's interventions were met with interest and applause from the audience. Many attendees highlighted the clarity and rigor of her speech. With this event, the party consolidates its position as an influential player in the housing and urban planning debate.

To conclude, Fornos left a clear idea: "Housing is not a right that can be decreed, but a good that must be managed with common sense, respect for capital, and economic freedom."