SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Dec. 15 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, said this Wednesday that the dissociation of the REF from the autonomous financing system “is not discussed”, as it is included in the Statute of Autonomy, although he views the initial proposal “with suspicion” of the central government.
In response to questions from the Popular and Sí Podemos groups, he has denied that there is “lukewarmness” in the Executive’s position on the latest report from the Ministry of Finance, although he admits that the text generates “many doubts”, especially with the concept of ‘adjusted population ‘.
Torres has indicated that the Government has until the end of January to respond to the proposal that later has to be approved by the Council for Fiscal and Financial Policy and debated in the Parliament of the Canary Islands.
He recalled that the PP, with an absolute majority, was able to reform the financing system in 2014 and in 2017 another report by the economist Ángel de la Puente was presented in which the REF joined the financing system, something that from the Canary Islands rejects “absolutely” and that includes the Statute of Autonomy “approved by all”.
Thus, he has predicted that “there will be no differences” between the House groups who will unanimously establish that “the REF is not discussed, it has already been achieved.”
However, he has predicted that “it will not be easy” for the reform of the system to break through because there are divergent positions and in the case of the Canary Islands, they aspire to maintain at least 0.6% due to insularity and that new criteria such as the poverty, unemployment or family income.
Torres has insisted that the debate is still based on a “partial document” and that there are two years left until this legislature ends, underlining that while Valencia sees the document as “positive”, others such as the Canary Islands, Galicia or Asturias are against it.
In addition, he believes that approving the reform will be “more complicated” now than in 2014, given the fragmentation of Congress, which is why he has once again claimed “the milestone” that was the approval of the new REF and the Statute.
THE PROPOSAL DOES NOT RESPOND “EVEN FAR” TO THE NEEDS OF THE CANARY ISLANDS
Australia Navarro, spokesperson for the Popular Group, has said that the proposal “does not meet even remotely” the needs of the Canary Islands, while questioning Torres’ “lukewarmness” with the central government because the reform “can be very damaging” to the interests of the islands.
He has said that the definition of the adjusted population “is key” because 75% of the resources are distributed there and it seems that it is “tailor-made” for four communities and the Canary Islands “would be at the head of the losing side,” according to the latest Fedea report, to which the REF’s “ninguneo” joins.
Navarro has offered Torres the support of his group in the negotiations but has warned him not to “confuse collaboration with adhesion.” “If you ask us to join, don’t even bother to call us,” he added.
Manuel Marrero, spokesman for Sí Podemos, has indicated that the reform of the financing system “is a necessary debate” because “there are two clear blocks” between the autonomous communities, those that contribute the most and want to receive more and those that brandish particularities by putting as An example that in Valencia “they have even taken to the streets”.
He has said that it is “essential” to reach agreements because the current system “is insufficient”, does not guarantee equity in access to public services, needs “more transparency and simplification” and “has generated inequalities”, favoring “fiscal dumping “.
Marrero has also commented that the REF should be separate from the system and include other indicators such as poverty, unemployment or family income and improve the insularity rate as well as ensure that “more is collected and the singularities of the Canary Islands are contemplated.”
