Catalan President Salvador Illa vows 50% increase in Pirineu infrastructure spending

At the 37th Business Meeting in the Pirineu, Catalan President Salvador Illa highlighted the regional budgets that the government expects to approve in July. He said the new budget will raise resources for Pirineu investments by about 50%, covering projects such as the N‑260 road upgrade, the Comiols port, a new hospital in Alt Urgell, 24‑hour helicopter services, expanded fiber‑optic networks and the IRTA research centre. Illa also mentioned the broader “Pla de Pobles” program, allocating €400 million to support small municipalities.

Illa stressed that the Generalitat is working to pass a new financing model that would add roughly €4.7 billion a year to Catalonia’s finances, seek partial debt forgiveness for the Autonomous Liquidity Fund, and push for the pending amnesty law. He outlined a forthcoming working group to study five strategic railway projects – including the R1 coastal adaptation, R3 extension to Puigcerdà, the Garraf tunnel, an orbital line and a transversal axis – as part of a long‑term plan to improve connectivity and reduce road reliance. Illa framed these measures as essential for stability and growth amid broader European challenges.