A Necessary Initiative for Language
The ERC municipal group in Tarragona has activated a motion to revitalize the use of Catalan in the city, with a special focus on trade and public administration. This proposal arises in response to the alarming data of the Survey of Linguistic Use of the Population (EULP 2023), which reveals a constant decline in the use of Catalan in Catalonia, from 46% in 2003 to 32.6% current.
Data that speak for themselves
Maria Roig, ERC spokesman, said that “evidence is undeniable, Catalan is in a backward situation”. Roig added that the situation is palpable in everyday life, both in schools and in the squares of the city. The importance of the language is essential for social cohesion and national identity.
Specific proposals for the future
The ERC motion highlights two key areas where the City Council can act effectively: the commercial sector and the administration staff. Suggested measures are the organization of free training workshops for municipal employees and the creation of internal campaigns to foster the use of Catalan in relations with citizens.
Actions in local trade
In the field of trade, the extension of a strategic action plan is proposed that was started in June 2024. This plan provides for training for shops that need to improve their knowledge of the language and the offer of subsidies to update the posters in the establishments. “We need traders to feel motivated to use Catalan, as well as modify the existing signaling that is not in this language,” said Roig.
Catalan as a focus of cohesion
ERC emphasizes that Tarragona must be an example to be followed by the language, especially in the integration of newcomers and the daily interaction with the population. “Catalan must be the most powerful cohesion instrument in Tarragona, and to achieve this, we must work constantly,” said Roig.
A commitment to the future
With this motion, ERC Tarragona aims to continue advancing Catalan in the city. Following the success of the Catalan Promotion Office, Republicans reaffirm their commitment to convert the promotion of the language into a priority, involving both the public and private sectors in the recovery of the social use of Catalan.
