SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 2 Apr. (EUROPE PRESS) –
The CC-PNC group in the Cabildo de Tenerife has denounced the reduction of 80% of the funds allocated by the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda to the railway projects on the Island, in such a way that the Island Corporation will only have one million euros in 2022 compared to the 5 million it had been allocated in recent years.
The nationalist councilor Félix Fariña criticized the loss of state funds because “they suppose a slowdown in the projects that Metropolitano de Tenerife has to develop”. “Until now, the general state budgets collected an item of 5 million euros per year, but in 2022 they have reduced it to just one million,” he added.
Fariña pointed out that it is not only regrettable that they have reduced it, but that last year the 5 million euros were lost because the Cabildo “did not request them.” “We have denounced the paralysis in the management of the PSOE and Ciudadanos because that is affecting the projects in Tenerife. While in Gran Canaria all the parties are united, here the PSOE and Si Podemos Canarias are incomprehensibly opposed,” she added.
The CC-PNC councilor described Pedro Martín’s position of voting against the trains as “incongruous”, “but he is going to sign an agreement with the Ministry to develop railway projects in Tenerife.” “Facing the gallery, he says that they do not want the train so that Sí Podemos Canarias does not break the pact and be able to stay in the chair, but from behind he will sign the agreement so that they give us a million euros. That is the government that we have in the Cabildo: says one thing publicly and behind the scenes does the opposite,” said Fariña.
Félix Fariña pointed out that it is essential to have funds for the recovery of the European Union (EU) destined for sustainable mobility for the construction of the southern train and also with state funds. “We are facing a unique and historic opportunity. The only ones who are opposed throughout the national, regional and island territory are the PSOE of Tenerife and Si Podemos Canarias. His position clashes head-on with his colleagues in Gran Canaria, where they do support him”, He said.
Fariña recalled that in February 2022 a CC-PNC motion was approved with the support of the PP and the abstention of Ciudadanos to include the southern train in the General Interest Railway Network. It was also agreed that there would be a meeting to define the roadmap, but so far “it has not been called.” In addition, he added that the mobility solution in Tenerife involves guided transport and BUS-HOV lanes. “That is the reality regardless of who weighs it,” he remarked.