VZCZCXRO4623
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHLA #0076/01 2641708
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211708Z SEP 07
FM AMCONSUL BARCELONA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0890
INFO RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 0853
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA 1054

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BARCELONA 000076 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/WE (SAMSON/CERVETTI) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR SP
SUBJECT: BARCELONA'S SUMMER OF DISCONTENT 
 
BARCELONA 00000076  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: A spate of infrastructure failures over the 
summer angered Catalans even as they prepared for their summer 
holidays, and calls for greater autonomy or outright 
independence by current and former political leaders only added 
fuel to the fire. The signing of an agreement between the 
Generalitat and the GOS that reportedly increases the total cost 
of Spanish state investment in Catalonia for 2007; modifies (in 
favor of the region) for this year and succeeding years the 
method by which such investments are calculated; and establishes 
safeguards for the fulfillment of these commitments might go a 
long way towards resolving festering grievances. In the end, it 
will be the government's ability to abide by its covenant with 
Catalonia that will garner continued support for PM Zapatero. 
While calls for independence might be the fashion now, they will 
almost surely die down - Catalonia is will not be leaving the 
fold for the foreseeable future. End Summary. 
A Summer of Discontent 
¶2. (SBU) The yearly summer airport crush, which seemed more 
brutal and chaotic than previous years, came first. It was 
followed by the near total breakdown of the commuter rail system 
and a poorly planned and ill-received visit by Infrastructure 
Minister Magdalena Alvarez. The last straw came, however, 
mid-July when fires at two sub-stations outside the city caused 
a two-week long black out, millions of euros in damages for 
business and homeowners at the very moment when most of the 
political class had abandoned the city for their vacations. 
¶3. (SBU) Citizens' ire was further provoked when national 
government ministers and regional leaders snapped at each other 
over whether or not Catalonia was receiving its fair share of 
the resource pie. Alvarez insisted investment in Catalonia was 
appropriate and fair, but implied it had been misspent by local 
and regional leaders. Local leaders blamed the national 
government for ignoring problems that had been festering for 
years, and the energy companies blamed politics and poor 
infrastructure planning before grudgingly agreeing to give cash 
rebates to affected customers. 
¶4. (SBU) Little wonder then that a year after Catalonia's 
"Estatut" was signed and ratified by national and regional 
assemblies nationalist feelings boiled over. Convergence and 
Union (CiU) President Artur Mas and Republican Left (ERC) 
regional Vice President Carod-Rovira echoed former regional 
presidents Pasqual Maragall (PSC) and Jordi Pujol (CiU) in calls 
for either greater autonomy for the region, or outright 
independence. These events, coupled with the burning of a 
portrait of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia during their 
September 13 visit to Girona were clear signs - if more signs 
were needed - that frustration was mounting. 
Throwing Money at the Problem 
¶5. (SBU) In the end, the answer to all these ills seemed simple: 
 throw money at them.  On September 19 GOS Economy Minister 
Pedro Solbes and Generalitat Economy Councilor Antoni Castells 
signed a funding agreement covering the next six years.  The 
agreement significantly increases the total cost of Spanish 
state investment in Catalonia for 2007 (up 24 percent); modifies 
(in favor of the region) for this year and succeeding years the 
method by which such investments are calculated; and establishes 
safeguards for the fulfillment of these commitments, according 
to reports. By reaching this accord, the GOS recognized 
something the Catalans have been insisting for years: that the 
national government has not been devoting a fair share of the 
national budget for infrastructure in Catalonia. 
¶6. (SBU) In Barcelona, the agreement has met mixed reviews, and 
most Catalans are taking a wait and see attitude. Some have 
expressed suspicions that this is a pre-electoral trick by the 
Zapatero government, which fears abstentions in Catalonia in the 
next general elections could endanger the Socialist Party's (PS) 
hold on power - a legitimate fear since his party now counts on 
the support of Catalonia's 23 delegates in the national 
assembly. Miquel Valls, President of the Barcelona Chamber of 
Commerce, told CG September 20 the GOS was also worried that the 
region's regional business leaders would continue their highly 
public attacks on the government for not spending enough on 
infrastructure (rail transport, roads, the airport) or honoring 
its commitments. Valls added he thought this latest agreement 
would stick. 
¶7. (SBU) Comment: Zapatero is not likely to lose support from 
Catalan voters, who go to the polls - the key, however, will be 
getting them there when the time comes. Abstentions, which have 
been tracking upwards in recent regional and local ballots, 
caused a minor upheaval during the May 27 local elections. Some 
tactical spending in the right places could tip the balance in 
the Prime Minister's favor even from a jaded Barcelona 
citizenry. Nationalist/independence parties are probably making 
a mistake if they believe Barcelona's recent travails will lead 
to an outpouring of support for cessation. Polls continue to 
show that while Catalans are unhappy with perceived slights from 
Madrid what they really want is a better relationship with and 
more signs of respect from the central government; not a break 
 
BARCELONA 00000076  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
from Spain. End comment. 
ROBINSON