Madrid — The expansion of Barcelona's international airport, which was agreed to last month, has been put on hold due to ecological concerns and infighting within the Catalan government.The delay could last as long as five years, Spanish Transport Minister Raquel Sanchez said, the El Pais daily reported on Thursday.Sanchez had agreed with the regional government of Catalonia to pause the project on Wednesday, reversing a decision to move forward with airport investments worth 1.7 billion euros (2 billion dollars) that had been agreed to in early August.According to the original plans, the expansion should have been completed in 2031 with the aim of transforming Barcelona into a hub for international air traffic, which would generate new taxes that could be reinvested in the region.But recent reports that a planned runway extension would impact the nearby La Ricarda nature reserve fuelled controversy in the already hotly contested project and led some within Catalonia's regional government to have second thoughts.Sanchez said the agreement fell apart due to the local resistance, calling it "a missed opportunity for Barcelona." Failure to begin work on the project now would likely result in budgetary and procedural snags that would push the start back as long as five years - if the sides even wanted to resume itCatalan premier Pere Aragones accused the central government in Madrid and airport operator Aena of trying to push through the expansion at the cost of ruining the environmentAragones's position put him squarely opposed to his deputy, Jordi Puignero, who had managed the negotiations with Madrid and Aena, according to El Pais. The politicians are members of rival parties.The chairman of Aena, Maurici Lucena, expressed disappointment that the feud had escalated to the point where a compromise could not be reached.Spanish media speculated that the dispute could affect further talks planned for next week between the central government and Catalan separatists about the status of the restive region.Catalonia's secessionist drive has deeply strained ties with Madrid. Catalonia declared independence in 2017, days after holding a referendum on the question that the Constitutional Court had declared illegal.
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