"We're gradually getting Nissan to realize that it's very expensive to close that plant .. It's always best to make way for a new investor, which we're working on ... There is always hope," she said during an event organised by Europa Press news agency.

Nissan said on Tuesday that it is willing to postpone the closure of its Barcelona plant until June 2021 and talk about "everything" with unions, but insisted it sees no alternative.

(Reporting by Emma Pinedo, Editing by Inti Landauro)