Espot criticises imported ideologies that view wealth creation as a bad thing

Andorra’s head of government, Xavier Espot, has warned against “ideological trends imported from other countries” that portray wealth creation negatively. 

He argued that economic growth in recent years, despite contributing to housing affordability problems and urban development pressures, has also generated revenue to fund infrastructure and social benefits.

In an interview with Gabriel Fernàndez on RTVA’s Avui serà un bon dia, Espot urged people not to stigmatise economic activity. “We should also be careful about falling into ideological trends imported from other countries where everything to do with wealth creation is considered bad,” he said.

His remarks came in response to questions about the commercial development set to house Decathlon and Alcampo. Espot stressed that permission to build does not amount to authorisation for a business to open, which, he explained, has yet to be granted in this case.

Asked whether permission to open could be refused once construction is complete, he replied: “We’ll see”, The head of government declined to specify what would happen with the project, but said the administration now has “many more tools to restrict or impose conditions on projects that place very heavy demands on urban development, land and population growth.”

Economic growth and public services

Fernàndez clarified that his question was not intended to stigmatise commercial activity and insisted that the scale of the development raised questions in a small country. In response, Espot broadened the discussion to the relationship between economic growth and funding public services.

The head of government contrasted opposition to new buildings and commercial activity with demands for excellent healthcare, free public education with freedom of choice, more social benefits, guaranteed pensions and new road infrastructure. “Sometimes this really is about squaring the circle,” he said.

In this context, he warned against “ideological trends or bad habits imported from other countries” that, in his view, lead people to question the creation of economic activity and wealth.

Acknowledging housing problems and urban development impacts

Espot acknowledged that growth may have brought a shopping centre that “we don’t like visually”, towers that “block the sunlight from our homes”, or “a problem accessing affordable housing.” However, he argued that it had also generated resources for investments that had been pending for years.

Among his examples, he cited the La Massana and Sant Julià de Lòria bypasses, two projects that, he recalled, had been discussed for two decades but repeatedly postponed.

Regarding La Massana, he maintained that the infrastructure would allow residents of the northern valleys to spend less time in traffic and reach the central valley more quickly. He also credited economic growth with keeping the pension system in surplus and making it possible to expand social benefits.