At the beginning of the present term of office I set three aims for the Government of which I am President: orderly thinking, rational action and showing people we care. These three concepts were an irrefutable definition of our strategy for building Catalonia in the years to come.

We have tried to make our work in government since November 2006 the result of constant responsible effort. It is guided by clear principles which find expression in the measures envisaged in the Government Plan. These are the result of strategic planning and are geared to reforming and improving Catalonia's main services and infrastructures.

At this stage in the legislature we can clearly see examples of work which has been completed or is in progress. It is impossible to give a complete list but some milestones for the country are well worth recalling. The Mossos d'Esquadra are now fully operational throughout Catalonia, new transport links have been introduced, like the route from Vic to Olot and the Bracons tunnel, the City of Justice has been opened in L'Hospitalet, the T1 terminal has been inaugurated at Barcelona airport, the Education Act has been passed, the new Sant Pau hospital has come into service, work on the first stage of the Segarra-Garrigues canal has begun, the new model of financing has been agreed, and the desalination plant at El Prat is now operational. All this in addition to dozens of new educational facilities and the hundred plus municipalities that are today enjoying the benefits of the six rounds of awards under the Neighbourhood Development Law.

To these specific achievements we can add our collective success in having proposed, debated and passed a series of major national agreements in strategic areas such as housing, immigration, research and infrastructures. This basic consensus is especially important for any country in the context of a financial crisis like the one we are currently facing.

From the very beginning the Government of Catalonia has adopted a realistic, responsible position. From the moment the crisis became evident all of our measures have been aimed at palliating its effects on the weakest social and productive sectors and at laying the foundations for transforming the economic model so that we can correct the errors of the past and gain strength from the challenges of the current situation. Once again, the emphasis is on order, reason and accessibility.

These are the guidelines of our commitment to Catalonia and the well-being of its people. It is a commitment intended to reflect our aspirations as a nation and ensure the present and future cohesion of Catalan society.

José Montilla
President of the Government of Catalonia