1. 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
2

3. Purpose and Structure
of the Foundation

4. Structure of the Foundation
Catalan State
Territorial Image &
Discourse Communication
Institutional
Relations
Influen. people
Forum
Sponsors
Associates
Direct action campaigns in the media: press and
Friends radio, books, videos ...
4

5. Organizational chart of Catalonia State Foundation
BOARD
EXECUTIVE
INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE AREA MANAGERS
President Sponsors or Associate representatives
Relevant persons / Patrons Territorial actions
Area
Area Area
DISCOURSE
IMAGE & COMUNICATION INSTITUTIONAL
“The economic, political and
Advertising campaigns, media Relations with Institutions,
social reasons, for founding
and public relations Official Bodies and Parties
a Catalan State”
5

6. 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) 7

8. 250 billion euros in 25 years
18,5 billion euros
Catalan fiscal deficit in million euros (2011)
20.000
18.000
16.000
14.000
12.000
10.000
8.000
6.000
4.000
2.000
0
1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010
(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) 8

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)
9

10. Catalonia drops
The perversion of the current model 8 positions,
from 3r to 11th
(Source: AVUI - Política 23.12.2008) 10

11. And the principle of fiscal ranking?
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”.
(Source: AVUI - Política 1.07.2009 and 14.07.2009) 11

12. Comparison with the special Basque charter
 Catalonia (2006)
2,143 euros per inhabitant
 Basque Country (2006)
5,833 euros per inhabitant
Catalonia suffered a
negative return of
€14,5bn (2006)
(Source: AVUI - Política 22.07.2009) 12

13. Fiscal balances in Germany
The Baviera State, the main taxpayer,
140
provided €3,5bn (2010)
120
100
80
Índex
60
40
20
0
Thüringen
Nordrhein-
Sachsen-
Rheinland-
Berlin
Hessen
Bayern
Bremen
Hamburg
Schleswig-
Saarland
Sachsen
Mecklenburg-
Westfalen
Brandenburg
Niedersachsen
Württemberg
Vorpommern
Holstein
Anhalt
Pfalz
Baden-
Index of founds before leveling index of founds after leveling
(Source: El Periódico, Política 20.04.2009 - AVUI, Món i Política 16.05.2010 13
Directe.cat Internacional 16.10.2010 i Presència Política 25.01.2011)

14. Fiscal balances in Spain
Catalonia loses 8 positions, it’s that fair?
This is not correct
(Source: Generalitat de Catalunya, abril del 2009) 14

15. Catalonia, the most fiscally exploited country
in the world
Fiscal transfer allowed
 USA: 2.5% of GDP
 Canada: 2% of GDP
 Australia: 2% of GDP
 Catalonia: 8.8% of GDP
15

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: Observatori del Finançament de Catalunya)
(Source: La Vanguardia14.06.2009 i La Generalitat de Catalunya 5.01.2009) 16

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.
(Source: Dossier de premsa. Hospital de Mollet
Generalitat de Catalunya 31.07.2010)
 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 )
17

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. (Source: AVUI Societat 4.10.2010)
 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: Gencat - Departament de salut
Notes de premsa 1.10.2010)
18

19. Simulation of an annual budget
Catalan fiscal deficit estimated on 18,5 billion euros
Extra Catalan Budget 2012 Amount Qty Total
million €
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
And in 2013? and in 2014? and in 2015? ....
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 19
18,500

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) 20

21. Budget Generalitat de Catalunya 2012
37 billion euros
+ 18 fiscal deficit
-----------------------------
Total 55 billion euros
Increase of 50%
21

22. Fiscal Deficit Compared
Amount
Amount Amount Total % Income
FISCAL DEFICIT person Period
aprox. updated inhabitants person
year
Marshall Plan (USA)
13.300 M$ 97.000 M$ 147 M 164 $ 1,23% 4 years
1948-1951
German Reunification
600.000 M$ 61 M 980 $ 3,75% 10 years
1990-1999
Fiscal Deficit Catalonia
18.000 M€ 7,5 M 2.400 € 8,6% UNLIMITED
versus Spain 2010
How should the Spanish people view the generosity of Catalonia that
has contributed Spanish GDP over 9% for more than twenty years?
(Source: Entre l’Espanya i la paret. Xavier Roig 2003) 22

23. 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
----------------------------------------------
This is the ruin of Catalans
(Source: Cercle d’Estudis Sobiranistes. Elisenda Paluzie 2009) 24

25. Contributions to the Spanish pension reserve fund
The Spanish, that
Period 2004 - 2007
are 38,5 million
inhabitants,
only contribute
7,1 million of Spain €4,5bn
Catalans 25,6%
contribute
€13bn
Catalonia
74,4%
We are the ones that finance pensions for the
Spanish, that they cannot sustain
(Source: Escanyar els pensionistes. Alfons López Tena. AVUI Diàleg 28.06.2009) 25

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) 26

27. Contributory pensions in Spain
In Catalonia
pensions are too low
in relation to our
cost of living
 Pensioners:
● 25% receive less than
500€ a month.
● Another 50% between
Catalunya
600 and 800€ a month.
74,4%
● Only 25% exceed
1,000€ monthly.
 It does not take into
account the cost of living.
(Source: Expansión - Economía y Política 6.07.2010) 27

28. Constraints to
development

29. Investment level from Spanish State in Catalonia
29
(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
 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.
 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) 30

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) 31

32. Madrid: 600 km – Barcelona: 20 km
(Free highways built by the Spanish Government between 1985– 2005)
(Source: Cercle d’Estudis Sobiranistes) 32

33. What about the kindergartens?
 The ones who come out winning are always the same.
(Source: OCU - Compra Maestra nº 346 març 2010) 33

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) 34

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) 35

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) 36

37. Spanish Railway Infrastructure
40% of GDP and 50% of exports
come from the Spanish territories
on the Mediterranean seaboard
The stretch
Sagunto-Teruel-Zaragoza
Cuenca
Valencia
has cost 1,3 billion euros
over the last four years
(Source: AVUI – Política: Ramon Tremosa 24.08.2009)
Objective: make us unnecessary
(Source: Catalunya Acció. Juny 2007) 37

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.
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)
(Source: La Vanguardia – Política: Salvador Enguix 25.10.2009)
38

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.
A pity: The double line between
Barcelona-Valencia is not completed.
The 61 km between Tarragona and
Vandellòs has been abandoned.
(Source: EL PUNT AVUI – Catalunya: infraestructures 19.10.2011) 39

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) 40

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) 41

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) 42

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.
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.
(Source: EL PUNT - Punt de Vista: L’Encaix 3.01.2010 i La galeria 16.01.2010) 43

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.
The stretch
of line
between
Vandellòs
and Castellò
is still single
track
(Source: EL PUNT AVUI – Catalunya: El dèficit de la xarxa ferroviària de Catalunya 28.05.2012) 44

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.
Spain has become a second class country because it
does not invest in infrastructures with cost-benefit criteria
(Source: AVUI – Diàleg: Europa visita Catalunya 13.03.2011) 45

46. Barcelona airport
America Africa Asia Europe
Bolivia, 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
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
(Source: Cercle d’Estudis Sobiranistes, L’estat espanyol contra Catalunya: la prohibició d’ús dels aeroports 46
catalans en els Convenis Internacionals acordats per l’estat espanyol 19.02.2008)

47. This is called abuse of power
This is one of
the reasons
for the loss of
competitiveness
and business
opportunities
in Catalonia
(Source: EL TEMPS – Portada: Què ens costa Iberia? N. 1443 7.02.2012) 47

48. What a mess!
 Germany, a country with 82 million inhabitants and
a GDP three times higher than Spain, only has 38 airports.
Spain today
has 50 and
in 2020 will
have 59
(Source: La Gaceta – Negocios Empresas 3.08.2008) 48

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) 49

50. One of the highest taxed countries in the world
 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
A catalan citizen that earns 400,000
citizens of the euro area.
euros will pay 10,000 euros more
than a Madrid citizen
 Collection or confiscation?
(Source: Expansión – Menos gasto y más impuestos 31.12.2011 50
La Vanguardia – Opinió: Tan escandinaus 4.01.2012)

51. The crisis has placed Catalans among
the most highly taxed citizens in the world
When we
will say
enough?
It can put
a break on
attracting
talented
people to
Catalonia
(Source: El Periódico - Economia 6.10.2010) 51

52. State aid for the aged and handicapped people
 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 - 52
Punt de Vista 5.10.2010)

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 53

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) 54

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
(Source: AVUI - Política 7.03.2009) situated 168 km from Madrid.
(Source: Especial - Época 27.02 – 5.03.2009 and AVUI - Bústia 2.09.2010) 55

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.
That happens
because Spain creams off
18,5 billion euros
from the Catalan GDP
every year
(Source: EL PUNT AVUI - Societat 4.10.2001) 56

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.
Catalonia
is always
below
national
average
(Source: AVUI - Societat 5.01.2001) 57

58. Tributary inspeccions are killing Catalonia
Catalonia has
suffered twice
the number of
inspections than
Madrid
Catalonia suffers
six times more
inspections than
Andalusia
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) 58

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) 59

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) 60

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) 61

62. 27 years of European Funds for Spain
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?
Spain has received in European Funds between 1986 – 2013 a total of
144 billion euros from the European Union.
In the same period, Spain has taken from Catalonia
300 billion euros
(Source: Economy Weblog – http:// economy.blogs.ie.edu / archives / 2007 / 01 / menos_fondos _eu.php) 62

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.
How can this be calculated?
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.
(Source: ARA – Debat: Intel·ligència estratègica 12.03.2012) 63

64. Fiscal deficit  Social deficit
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
(Source: Crónica.cat - Entrevista: Ramon Tremosa 27.09.2010) 64

65. 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) 66

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) 67

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) 68

69. 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.
This is
direct result
of the tax
plundering
(Source: ARA - Crònica societat: Reportatge 3.01.2011) 69

70. We are at the limit
 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
(Font: EL PUNT AVUI – Economia i La Vanguardia – Economia 16.06.2012) 70

71. How lucky we were that in 2009 the Generalitat
of Catalonia signed a “historical” new financial
agreement with the Spanish Central Government
 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
(Source: ARA – Economia: Tema del dia 21.11.2011) 71

72. 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) 72

73. 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) 73

74. Is it convenient
for Catalonia
to be part of Spain?

75. 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) 75

76. 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) 76

77. This political map was published in 1854
77

78. No one listened to him
 In this book published in the year 1985 the Catalan political leader
and economist, Ramon Trias Fargas, said:
“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”.
(Font: Narració d’una asfíxia premeditada. Ramon Trias Fargas. Editorial Afers 2011) 78

79. 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
79

80. With the Castilian mentality, in their project for Spain
there is no room for the welfare or
the economic development of Catalonia
80

81. Catalan State

82. Comparative UE-28, with Catalonia
% UE-27 Population
PIB (PPC)
Nr Country (2011) PIB (PPC) milion
per capita inhabitants
per capita
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 Catalonia
5 Sweden 31.700 126 9,4
6 Denmark 31.500 125 5,5 as a State
Catalonia as a State 30.500 121 7,4 would be
7 Germany 30.100 120 81,7
8 Belgium 29.700 118 10,9 the 7th
9 Finland 29.200 116 5,3
Catalonia region 28.270 113 7,4
richest
10 United Kingdom 27.200 108 62,4 state of the
11 France 27.000 107 65,0
12 Italy 25.300 101 60,6
European
UE-27 = 100 25.100 100 502,4 Union
13 Spain 24.700 99 46,1
(Source: Eurostat - Euroindicators and INE ) 82

83. 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.
84

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.
85

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.
86

87. You will find us in:
www.fundaciocatalunyaestat.cat
87

88. If we want, we can
The important thing is not the size of the state,
but its efficiency!
88