Andorra Official Calls for Halt to Foreign Investment Amid Housing Crisis

**Quim Dolsa**, the *cònsol menor* of Escaldes-Engordany and head of communal finances, has called for halting foreign investment in Andorra to address its housing crisis and rethink the country's direction. Speaking to *Altaveu*, he argued that the parish could thrive without heavy reliance on construction revenues or overseas capital, which he questions for their limited added value.

Escaldes-Engordany is entering the final two years of its current mandate under the Consens team. Dolsa highlighted the parish's strong financial position despite a two-year moratorium on new building permits, which has cut construction income to about 10% of the €45 million budget—including reallocated funds. He credited this resilience to past deferred projects from the 2018-2019 urban plan but stressed the need for caution in Andorra's small economy.

On foreign investment, Dolsa expressed doubts, noting a surge in businesses—particularly in IT, web design, and marketing—that fail to deliver meaningful contributions. He cited a recent failed tender for the parish's website, which went desert twice locally before requiring an international bid, despite dozens of such firms registering in Escaldes. "There is significant lack of control," he said, urging stricter filters on what types of investment enter and how. He distinguished between retirees seeking residency, valuable investors, and inactive operations often run from private homes, warning that the current approach exacerbates housing shortages.

Dolsa advocated a "technical stop" on foreign inflows to reassess priorities, insisting communes could operate with smaller budgets and moderate growth, as Andorra has historically done even in crises. He criticised excessive building heights in permitted tower zones and a lack of affordable rental projects, despite communal incentives that drew no takers.

Shifting to infrastructure, the parish is prioritising maintenance over new builds. Funds are going to restore neglected assets like Prat del Roure—where nearly €600,000 has been spent—and parking at Caldea, with plans to acquire land for future public spaces rather than flashy inaugurations.

Dolsa urged a societal shift from individualism to community focus, lamenting how personal requests often override rules like the moratorium. He recalled the 1982 floods, when Andorrans helped neighbours unprompted, questioning if such solidarity persists. DA, he added bluntly, is now "part of the problem" rather than the solution, as Andorra drifts "like a ship without a captain." Authorities have yet to respond to his remarks.