Rafa Carrió, the face of Compromís per Dénia, returns to face the polls. Like his opponents, next Sunday there will be a lot at stake. They go out to win, defend, but above all they seek to be decisive. In the last legislature they decided to work from the opposition, unhappy with the powers offered to them by their former government partners. They had an absolute majority, and instead the weight of Compromís had weakened by losing a councilor. In any case, it remained the second force with the most votes and, for four years, Carrió has led his party's policy made from the front, monitoring a government that, according to him, stopped counting on Compromís. And collaborating, whenever they allowed it.
Carrió receives us at his historic headquarters, full of militants and lots of electoral propaganda on the table [the interview took place on Wednesday, May 17]. Each one of those present, rolled up their sleeves and putting their shoulders together. In fact, Carrió leaves the job just to serve us. With a wide smile, relief for the rest that he offers to attend the interview?
ASK. Again we are in elections and once again you present yourself at the top of the Compromís list. Has anything changed from when you first introduced yourself to now?
ANSWER. Of course it has changed. Many things have changed. It is a tremendous experience to have been governing for four years. Because this is like a degree. And four years in the opposition, it is a master's degree. We have seen from both visions what it is to govern a town hall.
Q. In 2015, Compromís got almost 3000 votes and four councilors. In 2019, he loses almost 1000 votes and one council member. Are you worried that a downward trend will continue in these elections?
R. We are always concerned because in the end it is the decision of the people. But we have had time to analyze this subject. What we did in 2015 was fulfill our commitments in the Acord del Castell. We do beautifully. In fact, from 2015 to 2019 is when the transformation of this town really began, with a calm, cohesive and stable government team. We were working side by side, also with the Generalitat, and it was a success. A stability that had not occurred before in the history of the City Council.
This, once studied, is possibly what has harmed us. Rather it is what has confused. What has been done and who has done it? It is always the Mayor who takes the good, above all. We will remain firm to our values, wherever we are. But we left with enthusiasm and the desire to be decisive.
Q. Being decisive is something that you have repeated a lot in the campaign. Does this mean that you rule out winning?
R. No no. What we have is our feet on the ground. And we went out to win, so that Dénia wins. To be clear! And we left for the Mayor's Office. We know, thanks to experience, that the Mayor's Office is very important to carry out the projects.
Q. With what result would you be satisfied?
R. To improve is to get many more votes. That in the end Hondt's Law is not the fairest. But get many more votes based on the policies we are making. Some show up and sell smoke. Others of us sell the program, and we do what we say. We don't promise, we promise.
Q. We finished a monocolor legislature, with an absolute majority of the PSPV with which you have been very critical. How was the experience?
R. I don't know if absolute majorities are good or bad. The experience we have had here in Dénia has been fatal. First, there was a possibility that, having an absolute majority, they would govern with our support. We offered it three times, but they did not want to share at all. This turned into contempt when they offered us the delegations. They have not taken us into account.
At the time, we expressed our willingness to collaborate, because 21 of us were more than 12. They told us that they did not mix apples and pears, the famous phrase. They wanted to be alone, and it has been quite a roller. They have done what they wanted without counting on anyone.
But, and they know it, in the face of this despotism and branchism, we have been working hand in hand with the ministries in which we have responsibility, such as Education or Inclusive Policies. There is the example of the schools, the conservatory, the CEIP Gent de Mar, or the second residence and the CRIS and the CEEM. We have been a responsible and hard-working opposition.
Q. Looking at your campaign, would you say that dialogue is the main promise you make?
R. It is transversal. All the proposals of all the lines go through to be discussed. We want to talk, dialogue, agree, and then act. Given the occurrences of the Mayor's office, what we want is to go down to the street, talk and agree with the people. That the people participate in politics throughout the legislature.
Q. Have the ties that Compromís and the PSPV created with the 2015-2019 legislature and the famous Acord del Castell been broken?
R. Not on our part. If we say that we are the force of dialogue, how can we not dialogue with everyone?
Q. Would there be, then, Acord del Castell 2.0?
R. We will do what we have to do at the time. We do not rule out anything. We are a progressive force, but we are clear that we have suffered contempt during this legislature. They have been the ones who have not wanted to collaborate. It won't be the same, that's for sure. We are going to ask for more than in 2015.
Q. What would you ask for?
R. We ask for the mayor's office [laughs]. Let's go to the mayor's office. But it's just talking for the sake of talking, because we don't know the results.
Q. You show up with a roster full of new faces. How is that?
R. Almost all are new faces, but there is also a lot of experience. It is a value that young people dedicate their own time, personal time, to work for the rest of society. It is invaluable. Value with values.
Q. Entering the program. Tell us a little about what we can find in it and what differences there are with the other programs.
R. The biggest difference: dialogue and participation. Participation is essential, but real participation. The advices! The Consell de Cultura has not been reconvened since 2019.
Another difference, the commitment to energy communities, and in Dénia one has to be made starting with the City Council being self-sufficient, as Pedreguer has done. And from there lengthen it so that citizens can get involved. Using public infrastructures such as the town hall, schools, the sports center... And carrying out campaigns of all kinds to raise awareness, and, for example, eliminate plastic.
Make a friendly center, with a sustainable public transport connection, but pedestrianize as much as possible. Because the streets are for pedestrians, not for cars. Of course, with good planning.
Q. Culture is one of the most pampered areas of Compromís. Tell us what your training will do for the culture of Dénia.
R. Work a lot. Dénia is a city through which all civilizations have passed and has a lot of heritage and cultural history. Of the Castle everything that is possible has to be recovered, but also Punta de Benimaquia. In other words, promoting culture and working for it, for those who work for it, do it and enjoy it. Make it part of the productive economy.
Q. In terms of housing, you have openly shown yourself in favor of starting the procedures for the limitation of rental prices. Would this solve this crisis that Dénia is suffering?
R. Not only this. Dénia has enough homes to cover the needs, but you have to manage it. As? From having a housing stock that the City Council can manage, to regulating rent in saturated places. Especially the tourist rental, that there are already laws at the regional level that do so. But it is true that if we do not regulate it, you cannot live here. And this makes people go to Ondara or El Verger. We want them to live here.
With the possibilities established by law, you can only regulate those that already exist. But there is the possibility offered by the SAREB issue. Homes that citizens have paid for, and it is unworthy that they are empty when people do not have access to rent or buy. We want them to give up so we can manage them.
In addition, the PGE that has just been approved provides for 83,5 hectares of housing. 30%, by law, has to be allocated to social housing. We are talking about more than 200.000 square meters. This has to be fulfilled, because it will help.
Q. It may be that the tourism model also affects.
R. It doesn't have to affect you. We, tourism, want those who come from abroad but also those from here to enjoy it. Enjoy its surroundings, the charms, what Dénia has. But this happens by regulating the rent. It cannot be that people want to come here to live and can only stay for nine months, because in the summer they have to leave.
Q. What kind of tourism does Compromís want?
R. That takes care of the environment, sustainable... That lasts forever. We cannot exhaust a certain resource. Bread for today and hunger for tomorrow. We know that tourism is the most important productive sector that Dénia has, but we do not want to put all the eggs in the same basket. We want to diversify, strengthen the primary and industrial sector. We want to reinforce the polygon. Yes, we will help and support the tourism sector, but taking care of our culture, our heritage, promoting sports, facilitating water sports... That tourism that does not destroy the environment. That people want to come because of those differences we have.
Q. Does it have to continue to be the main economic engine?
R. It will continue to be, for now, the main economic engine. Dénia lives mainly from tourism. But we have realized during the pandemic that if we dedicate everything to tourism and it fails, the town has a hard time.
As I said, we want to bet on the primary sector, fishing and agriculture, creating that local product that has to differentiate us. Then we go to a supermarket and we don't even know where the onions come from. But also the industry. Dénia has lived three or four times of industry, including toys. It hurts that one from Dénia cannot be an entrepreneur and set up his company, and has to go abroad. And we are no longer talking about those who want to come here. We want to strengthen and enhance our industrial estate.
Q. Of the formations that are currently in the City Council, you are the only ones that have positioned themselves in favor of the tourist tax. In fact, the PP and PSPV have directly promised that they will not apply it. What is the reason?
R. The PP has no idea. The PSPV misses me. I find that it is opportunism and a bit of hypocrisy. The tourist tax has been approved for the entire Botànic. Therefore, it has been approved by the PSPV, by Compromís and by Podem. It is a voluntary law for municipalities. We fully agree with the possibilities that the tourist tax has. That is why Compromís has approved it. It is a tax that in no city where it has been applied has caused the number of tourists who have gone to decrease. It has served to help improve infrastructure, enhance its resources and value the city. Everything that is around tourism would be improved. And that is why we think that everything that is collected from the tax has to go to improve this.
We do what we say, and they tell them what they do. We will sit down with all the agents involved, AEHTMA, CEDMA, and before making a decision we will make an exhaustive and decisive study that shows the money that affects. And thus show the pros or cons of applying it, so that everyone can decide.
Q. Something that has made a lot of noise this campaign is the theme of the train, TRAM…
R. We find it shameful that after 50 years of publicly fighting the whole of society for a commuter train, a decent train, now, due to branchism, some are content with a tram. A tram is fine, but not to do these functions: from Dénia to Oliva and Gandia. Therefore, it is a "I have to do it because we have been told to." We continue to bet on that Dénia-Oliva-Gandia route, at least, by suburban train to go shopping, do business in Valencia, study, etc. It seems that with the TRAM the journey will last three or four hours, and it is not viable for the efforts that one can make.
Q. We will have eight ballots on the table. Why should we choose Compromís?
R. Because we are the ones who can carry out the best project for our city, of stability. The values we have are not held by anyone else. We are close, we talk, listen and decide for those here and things here. With us Dénia will win.
Q. In the case of winning the mayoralty, what will be the priority of Rafa Carrió?
R. Seat all the political groups and social agents at a table to see the priorities that Dénia has and agree on solutions, with dialogue and participation, always before acting.
One thing worries me a lot: RAFA CARRIÓ HAS NOT SAID THAT HE WILL NOT AGREE WITH THE PP.
What does that mean, Rafael?
If I vote for you, will you agree with Pepa Font and will the PP pertain to the PSOE?
Tant de diàleg i diàleg (blablabla, que ens coneguem) is it to prepare the road for you?
Can you say taxantly that YOU WILL NOT AGREE WITH THE PP?
Gràcies.