Salvador Illa Keeps 3 Allies of Junqueras in the Generalitat With Salaries of €90,000

Amid internal tensions in ERC, Salvador Illa decided to keep several high-ranking officials linked to Oriol Junqueras in their positions within the Generalitat. This maneuver caused controversy within ERC, which required all high-ranking officials to leave.

Despite the orders from ERC's leadership, Junqueras ignored the directive, and some of his allies continue to hold key positions within the Generalitat. As is often the case, those fortunate enough to hold these positions receive very generous salaries.

Junqueras Went Rogue

The conflict began when PSC gained access to the Generalitat and ERC was firm in demanding the departure of high-ranking officials from the Aragonès era. The party leadership, in short, ordered a thorough cleaning and emptying of the sottogoverno. However, Junqueras disobeyed the leadership and requested Illa to keep several of these high-ranking officials in their positions.

From Junqueras's circle, they denied this information vehemently, attributing it to ERC's internal war. It should be remembered that these were days when republican tension was at its peak. There were three candidacies underway, and the party's bad practices over several years came to light (harassment on social media, the Alzheimer's posters, the fake hanged Junqueras doll, etc.).

Now, according to recent information, it has been confirmed that Junqueras and his circle were lying. As reported by RAC1 in recent days, Salvador Illa indeed kept several high-ranking officials. That is, the people close to Junqueras, whom the now republican leader requested to remain in key positions.

The names mentioned include Lluís Salvadó, president of the Port of Barcelona; Eduard Suárez, director of EQUACAT; Isaac Albert, president of CIMALSA; and Norma Pujol, director of IDECE. These high-ranking officials hold significant positions and receive salaries around 90,000 euros annually. For example, Salvadó receives a salary of 90,931.18 euros, while Suárez earns 71,738.52 euros.

This is a classic distribution of power through the sottogoverno, which serves to keep party members disciplined. In the case of ERC, the republicans urgently needed to maintain influence quotas after the electoral debacle of the last elections. Meanwhile, PSC accepted it as part of the cost for Illa to assume the presidency of Catalonia.