Neither the PP leadership nor the popular barons confirm that the PP governments refuse to benefit from debt relief through the mechanism that the PSOE agreed with the ERC for the cancellation of the Catalan debt, which, according to the government, will also be extended to the rest of the autonomous communities, although without specifying how. The people’s representatives have vehemently opposed this cut for Catalonia, considering that due to the size of the resources (around 15,000 million, 20% of the total debt) and the procedure used (bilateral negotiations), it represents a violation of the principle of equality among the Spaniards. But that doesn’t mean that they won’t also benefit if the possibility of a general haircut opens up. The People’s Barons are not giving up on this, say sources from several regional executives, although they are demanding equal treatment with Catalonia and a multilateral negotiation within the framework of the Council for Finance and Fiscal Policy – which, according to sources in the national leadership, the People’s Barons will submit a request to the ministry . is coming soon – as some threaten to take the courts to court.
The parliamentary spokesman of the PP, Cuca Gamarra, in Congress this Friday. Marshal (EFE)
The PP leadership does not rule out this possibility either. Asked whether the popular presidents would accept debt relief, the PP’s secretary general, Cuca Gamarra, declined, without denying that this will happen. “For all communities, the framework for financing is not unilateral, but multilateral in the Council for Finance and Fiscal Policy,” said the number two of the PP, without ruling out that their governments could benefit from a cut. When asked by EL PAÍS, the leaders governed by the PP are very critical of the pact for Catalonia, but some of them do not give up on benefiting from a convention. Others, such as the Valencian Community – the second most indebted autonomy after Catalonia – avoid making their plans clear.
Valencian Community. Carlos Mazón (48,344 million in debt). The President of the Generalitat Valenciana assures that regional funding is “not a fencing match between presidents of autonomous communities” nor a “negotiation tool”. Mazón announced on Friday that he would try to combat “the constant disregard” of the central government “without blackmailing anyone, breaking anything or playing at dark tables.” However, the Valencian president does not make it clear that he would accept it.
Andalusia. Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla. (25,409 million in debt). “What we want is for Andalusia to be compensated with the same amount that Catalonia receives. 20% of Andalusia’s debt amounts to 5.2 billion euros. We will not accept that, we want the same thing, 17.8 billion euros.” “That is what Andalusia should do with its population and its autonomous community,” Juan Manuel Moreno replied to the media. Sources from the board’s cabinet chairman say that “he does not have a debt problem” and that no debt reduction has been requested. What they claim from those around them is that if the incumbent government grants Catalonia what it demands from him – in this case the cancellation of 20% of the debt – Sánchez must also meet the demands made by the Council. According to their calculations, due to their “underfinancing”, they are responsible for the 17.8 billion euros, the amount of which does not specifically correspond to the FLA debt.
Murcia. Fernando Lopez Miras. (10,286 million in debt). The Murcian president believes that a haircut can only be discussed “multilaterally within the Council for Finance and Fiscal Policy, because that is what the law provides for.” “Anything else is not legitimate and not legal, and we will “We will not allow ourselves to be humiliated,” he emphasized. His government will appeal in court both against Catalonia’s debt cancellation “if it is not agreed directly with each of the autonomous communities” and “if there are changes in the regional financing model and they are not agreed directly”. multilaterally in the Council for Finance and Fiscal Policy”. Sources from his team indicate that if the discount route is opened, they will not forego the benefits, but they insist that reform of the regional financing system is important. In 2018, López Miras, together with the government of Mariano Rajoy, already proposed debt relief for Murcia within the multilateral framework.
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Aragon. Jorge Azcon. (5,053 million in debt). In line with his counterpart from Murcia, the Aragonese baron stressed that “when you negotiate everyone’s money, you negotiate with everyone”, in relation to a possible debt relief to Catalonia, and there is a dedicated body for that. , that is the Council for Finance and Fiscal Policy. “We Aragonese are not ready to be the pagans of investiture,” claims the President of Aragon, who does not make it clear whether he would accept this measure.
Balearic Islands. Marga Prohens (4,916 million in debt). In the government of Marga Prohens they are inclined to demand the cut, but in a joint debate between the ministry and the autonomous communities. “It can certainly be accepted in the form of debt relief, but it must be a fund that ensures transparency in all communities,” said the vice-president of the Balearic Islands, Antoni Costa, at a press conference about the amounts corresponding to the islands, which are suffering from “historic underfunding ” Suffer.
Cantabria. María José Saénz de Buruaga (3,090 million in debt). The Cantabrian president also addressed the question of whether her government would request a haircut. “If the Sánchez government is willing to forgive part of Catalonia’s debts, it must grant the same equal treatment to the rest of the territories,” said the president of the community at a press conference, without ruling out that it is asking for its own forgiveness and requires one “common discussion” on the reform of the economic financing system. In their circle, they are not saying explicitly whether they will demand his removal, but they are opening the door. “What is needed is equality. That all communities benefit equally,” say sources from his team.
Galicia. Alfonso Rueda (2,759 million in debt). The President of Multiple Responsibility”, the excesses of those who “were irresponsible”. In the Rueda cabinet, no further assessments are made outside the institutional statement. At the same time, the BNG received from the PSOE financial compensation for Galicia “analogous” to that of Catalonia.
Extremadura. María Guardiola (2,494 million in debt). In María Guardiola’s cabinet they do not indicate what position they will take and limit themselves to “rejecting every single clause of the agreement signed by the PSOE and ERC, because they do nothing other than perpetuate the historical grievances” against Extremadura the debt “would do that.” will not be equally forgiven for the rest of the regions.” “Catalonia’s debt is not due to underfunding, but to poor management,” her team claims.
Castile and Leon. Alfonso Fernández Mañueco (1,966 million). The President of Castilla y León has, as Vox requested, called an extraordinary meeting of the Government Council this Saturday to address the matter. Alfonso Fernández Mañueco warned this Friday that he would go to court if the cancellation of 20% of the debt to Catalonia was confirmed. “We have gone from buying and selling votes to an absolute fraud,” he insisted to the media, warning: “If anyone thinks we are sitting idly by, they are wrong.”
Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, this Friday in the municipality of Paredes de Nava, in Palencia. Almudena Alvarez (EFE)
The Rioja. Gonzalo Capellan. (805 million). La Rioja’s president criticized the fact that the debt agreement was bilateral and avoided commenting on the FLA amounts that La Rioja is accumulating. “I just made a calculation, any discriminatory and economically humiliating treatment of the people of Rioja will always meet with my resistance. I don’t care about numbers,” said Capellán, who reiterated that the issues must be discussed multilaterally. “Until that moment comes, I will defend the Riojans.”
Madrid. Isabel Diaz Ayuso. (No debts to the state, yes to third parties). The President of the Community of Madrid criticized the agreement this Friday. However, the conservative leader has not clarified whether her executive will benefit from a mechanism that can be extended to all regions and that in the case of Madrid it would benefit by affecting its debts to third parties, since it does not have any has with the FLA (for a total of 37,658 million as of June 2023). “It spreads misery, I ask that we do not fall into the error of what is mine because it is everyone’s business,” the Conservative leader said of an agreement with the independents that she said was intended to ” to blow up the country.” a veiled warning to other regional presidents, most of them from the PP. “For now we have to wait and see what they write officially,” said a source who enjoys the Baroness’ trust. “At the moment there is only propaganda and speculation,” he emphasized. “In any case, the president has not said that she will refuse [la quita]but we are talking about more important things than the distribution of misery.”
With information from Juan Jose Mateo And Rafa Burgos.
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