Vigo's municipal corporation has unanimously approved a motion from the Socialist group to convene a dialogue table between the Xunta de Galicia and residents impacted by the Autonomous Interest Projects (PIA) in the Ofimático-Lavadores district. The decision was made during the ordinary plenary session in October, urging the regional government to explore all avenues to address residents' demands, ensure their right to relocation, and provide compensation to those expropriated as stipulated by law, including monetary compensation, land swaps, and urban development rights.
María Xosé Caride, the fourth deputy mayor and councillor for Urban Planning and Housing, accused the Xunta de Galicia of inaction regarding housing issues. She highlighted that while the regional government plans to provide 2,000 protected homes through the PIA, there are already 11,652 applicants for social housing in the city. Caride emphasised the necessity of offering fair compensation and dignified relocation alternatives, recalling a previous model used in Vigo during the State Library project, where affected individuals were relocated to municipal rental properties.
The motion acknowledges the importance of developing the PIA to meet the demand for reasonably priced housing, while also recognising the essential role of municipalities and the need to protect expropriated individuals.
Support for general strike
The plenary session also voted in favour of supporting the general strike scheduled for 11 November 2026, with backing from the Socialist Municipal Group and the BNG group, while the Popular Party opposed it. Carlos López Font, the spokesperson for the Socialists, expressed regret over the ideological and sectarian nature of the motion presented by the nationalists. He stated, “All agreements presented by the BNG are ideological and serve the interests of the CIG, which does not respect the spirit of the call. The BNG seeks to appropriate a just and necessary strike called by the unions UGT and CCOO, which the Socialist Group supports unconditionally.”
López Font further criticised the BNG's approach as partisan and divisive, stating, “We do not share their ideological bias or the union division they promote. We will be present at the demonstration, but we also support the general strike, as we believe it is crucial for the future of Spain. That is why we will vote in favour.” Despite this, the Socialist Municipal Group supported the BNG's motion and reaffirmed their backing for the general strike, aligning with the reasons for the call on 11 November, “because the local government implements them daily.”
