Not Only Ripoll: More Town Halls Reopen the Debate on Registration in Catalonia

The adoption of stricter criteria for registration by Ripoll's city council stirred up a lot of dust a year ago. The subsidized press accused Sílvia Orriols of making it difficult for newcomers to register and preventing their access to basic public services like healthcare or education. Institutions like the Síndic de Greuges, Generalitat, central government and even the EU joined the campaign.

Later it emerged that dozens of city councils from different political parties had been doing the same for years. But the suspicion was already sown.

What the media labeled as racism is actually greater rigor in protocols to ensure the security and proper management of public services. Recently, other city councils have taken steps in this direction.

Cases like those of Figueres or Martorell reopen the debate on registration in Catalonia.

Turmoil in Martorell with Registration

The Junts mayor in Martorell, Xavier Fonollosa, has entered a legal battle over his strict registration policy in the municipality. The mayor refused to register those who could not prove they lived in the municipality. He requires a rental contract, a property deed or the owner's authorization of the property.

A group of affected residents has sued the city council for violating state regulations in this matter. The lawsuit has been admitted for processing by the court. The mayor remains steadfast and states that he will only change if a judge forces him to.

"Occupying a property is a crime, and this can never generate rights." This is the basic principle Fonollosa uses to justify his decision not to register squatters. "Occupations must be fought," he reiterates, "but if a judge considers that the country must go in that direction, we will comply with the decision."

State law includes the obligation to register even when it can't be proven that a person lives in the municipality. This includes vulnerable people like the homeless or those living in shanties or caravans. But it also explicitly allows the formula of a fictitious address, which for many is a legalized fraud.

This has led to many municipalities having a multitude of people registered in a single building. This not only creates security problems and encourages occupation but also threatens the efficient management of public services.

'It's Not Fascism, It's Common Sense'

Another who has raised his voice against this situation is the Junts mayor in Figueres, Jordi Masquef. In a recent interview, he defended being "more Etruscan" with the management of the register. And he lamented that simply saying it already serves "to be called at least a fascist."

The mayor recalls that Figueres has long been leading the way in social services in the region, "because we have a good network." This has turned the town into a magnet for "negative externalities." That's why he claims to be "fed up" with being "the suckers" of the region in social services.

That's why he demands more control of the register, something his city council has been doing for some time. "To register, you must have all the documentation, which a registration agent is responsible for verifying," he explained.

"We can't allow cheating," he states in the same vein as the mayor of Martorell. "This is not fascism, it's common sense."

804 Cases of Fraud in One Year

El Punt Avui has reported that Figueres's city council detected 804 cases of fraud in a single year, in 2024. The mayor himself has exploded in indignation. "The register can't be a blank check of rights and services for the first one who says they want to be registered."

Masquef again appeals to "rigor" and "checking that it is true that these people reside where they say." The data has also outraged Figueres's residents, who applaud the mayor's rigor and his decision to deregister those who have committed fraud.