The decision comes after the item was withdrawn from the agenda of the upcoming plenary session, despite having been previously discussed in committee. The lack of support among political parties has led the socialist executive to postpone the vote.
The initial objective was for Mercats to absorb the Municipal Economic Development Company, creating a new management role to coordinate the areas of Commerce, Tourism, and Employment. The tender for this new management position was won by Dani Milà, the current manager of Mercats.
In the preceding committee meeting, the PSC only secured the support of Junts for the business unification. Subsequent negotiations with the opposition have not achieved the necessary consensus, as confirmed by the first deputy mayor, Montse Adan (PSC).
“"We will continue working. It remains on the table, but not for this plenary session"
Adan defends the merger as a measure to "gain efficiency, achieve economic savings, and have a more transversal strategic vision." Regarding the management role, the tender winner will have to choose between serving solely as a director of Economic Promotion or as a senior manager of Mercats.
From the opposition, ERC, through Xavier Puig, believes the withdrawal "confirms that they were neither sufficiently mature nor worked through," warning that "an operation of this magnitude could not be approved in haste or without all the information on the economic and organizational impact".
The PP, through Maria Mercè Martorell, criticizes that "the government team is desperately seeking support" and calls the merger a "political and marketing operation".
Junts, represented by Jordi Sendra, sees the decision to withdraw and reflect as "good," as "approval was not guaranteed." Jordi Collado (ECP) believes that bringing the proposals to committee "was a mistake".
The decision is framed within the political context preceding the 2027 municipal elections, where the government appears to need to reconsider its strategy due to a lack of majorities.
