The 4-Year-Old Premonition That Debunks ERC and Junts's 'Spain Robs Us'

One of the paradoxes that the pro-independence movement carries is being integrated into a State in which they don't want to be. This could be understood as a strategy to achieve independence. But years and years of participation in Spanish public life have discredited this thesis, starting with Rufián's famous 18 months.

Another characteristic of the pro-independence movement - perhaps the most distinctive - is its ability to be a good business. It is no secret that Catalonia's political industry has provided good economic and professional opportunities for many people. In this sense, however, the pro-independence movement hasn't been very discreet.

The cases of people "placed" in different administrative instances are countless. But among these cases, those placed in key institutions of Spain, or "Spanish State," as the pro-independence movement says, stand out. The contradiction is evident: receiving astronomical salaries from the State you denounce as oppressive.

From AENA to Renfe and Through the Bank of Spain

If you look with a bit of perspective, you can see that Junts and ERC have placed nine affiliates in various key institutions of Spain since 2018. That is, the constant tensions with Puigdemont, the amnesty, Rufián, etc., haven't been any obstacle to colonizing Spanish public institutions.

The latest case has been Eduard Gràcia, who is from Junts's orbit, a member of the ANC, and an organizer of protests against Rodalies. But, as the press revealed this week, Gràcia had been a board member for Junts at Renfe for three months. In fact, Gràcia attended ANC press conferences (which announced the strikes) without saying he was already placed at Renfe.

Another case that raised a lot of media dust was that of Sergi Sol (ERC) and Miquel Calçada (Junts). Last October, both were appointed as board members at RTVE, positions that will provide them with around 105,000 euros annually. In the classic pro-independence tradition, all this was no obstacle for them to make a scene at the swearing-in, swearing in the name of the "current legal order" to avoid referencing the Constitution and the King.

If you look further back, there are other cases of placement. Ramon Tremosa (AENA), Pere Soler (CNMC), Elena Massot (Enegas), Josep Maria Salas (CNMC), Jordi Pons (BdE), Francesc Bellmunt (RTVE), Laura Castel (Council of Europe). All these figures swell what social media humorously call the "90K club."

Alejandro Fernández Saw It Coming

The leader of the Catalan PP, Alejandro Fernández, wanted to recall one of his parliamentary interventions on this matter. In a 2021 speech, during the appointment of Pere Aragonès as president, Fernández already referred to this issue. He did so in reference to the then-president of Parliament: Laura Borràs.

With his classic irony, Fernández congratulated Laura Borràs as the new president of Parliament and "as a brand-new civil servant of the Spanish State." "We had underestimated her," says Fernández, "because you have to be quite a genius to call a State fascist and at the same time secure a civil servant position in the fascist State."

Finally, the popular leader jokes that Borràs, on the day of her swearing-in, called for disobedience, "and in the afternoon filled out the forms to access her civil servant position in the State to disobey." "This is indeed a masterstroke," concludes Fernández, "I bow to you, Ms. Borràs":

In his social media message, Fernández describes this speech as "premonitory" considering the new appointments of Junts and ERC. What seems clear is that there is no reason for the pro-independence movement to stop using this placement practice. And even less now, as they see pro-independence Catalonia crumbling.