The decision by the Department of Territory affects a growing number of professionals and families who have chosen to settle in the mountains. The reason for the denial is that the affected individual teleworks for a company based outside the beneficiary regions (Cerdanya, Alt Urgell, and Berguedà), a situation already experienced by other residents under similar circumstances.
“"The new decree regarding this benefit for residents has introduced a hidden clause to block the discount for residents who telework."
This interpretation of the decree is perceived as discriminatory, as it treats them as "second-class citizens" by denying them the right to local mobility, despite residing there, paying taxes, and having their children schooled in the region. The complaint to the Ombudsman alleges a presumed "abuse of right" and "lack of legal certainty," arguing that the decree's conditions contain a "bureaucratic trap."
Decree 420/2024, in its article 1.3, stipulates that to access the benefit, one must work for a company located in a municipality within Berguedà, Alt Urgell, or Cerdanya. This condition is deemed "absurd" by the affected person, who believes it "rewards inactivity" and punishes those who contribute to the local economy through teleworking.
The situation contrasts with the policies of the Spanish Government, which promotes teleworking to save energy, and with the Generalitat's campaigns to attract families to rural areas and encourage teleworking in the mountains. The affected individual believes that limiting free access to the Cadí Tunnel for all permanent residents of the mentioned regions contradicts these objectives.
