The Popular Party (PP) yesterday ratified its support for the budget of the Cabildo de Tenerife for 2023, which the Plenary approved with its votes and those of the island government (PSOE and Ciudadanos). As anticipated, CC and Sí Podemos Canarias voted against the island accounts, which will grow by 20.8% next year to 947,914,742 euros, while the consolidated budget, which includes the entire sector insular public, exceeds 1,055 million, being the highest in the history of the Cabildo.
The plenary session began with the Minister of the Presidency, Finance and Modernization, Berta Pérez, who recalled some of the main figures, such as the 259.5 million to IASS, the 110 million to Transportation or the 269 million to investment, which grows by 40% and 88% goes to the municipalities. Meanwhile, the insular director of the Treasury detailed the income and expenses and explained that in order to “cover the planned investment, it is necessary to provide a loan of 64 million.”
Already in the political debate, the spokesman for Cs and Minister of Roads, Mobility, Innovation and Culture, Enrique Arriaga, defended that they are “realistic” budgets, which will help increase the quality of life. “Today we must all have political height, contribute and not play to hinder, to stop the advance of our Island and less by a handful of votes,” emphasized the counselor, who thanked the PP “for the responsibility it has shown.”
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for Sí Podemos Canarias, María José Belda, denounced that the PSOE has continued with “the projects that CC had left”, as well as that of its 63 amendments to the 2023 accounts, 41 were in those of 2022 “and They were not executed.” She also criticized the fact that the insular president accepted the PP’s amendments regarding the South and North trains, as well as the motor circuit project. “If we have to talk about weathervane policies, the only one that has remained solid is Sí Podemos Canarias,” she defended.
The amendment to the entirety presented by the group was rejected and of its 63 partial ones, the plenary session only approved two, unanimously, related to the improvement and maintenance of the animal shelter in Ravelo, with 916,000 euros. Even so, CC did support a block of 28 amendments from Sí Podemos Canarias.
Meanwhile, from the PP, its spokesperson, Zaida González, defended the “responsibility” of her party in supporting the island’s budgets. “The management of this government group is and has been disastrous, but we are not going to abandon the people of Tenerife and Tenerife is going to have a budget thanks to the PP”, he emphasized, although he pointed out to the island president that “this support is not a blank card for the remaining six months. We will remain vigilant to ensure that the amendments are complied with.” The support of the PP supposes the incorporation of 34 of its amendments, for a value of almost 17 million, including items related to the trains of the South and North or the marina of Puerto de la Cruz, among others.
For his part, the CC spokesman, Carlos Alonso, argued that “this is not the budget that Tenerife needs” and denounced that it is “unbalanced with people, with the territory and with the needs.” “What we heard in this plenary session shows that today the government is weaker than ever,” he emphasized, while criticizing the employment figures, the socio-sanitary management and the distribution between municipalities. CC presented an amendment to the entirety that was rejected and of its 29 partials, the Plenary only approved two, unanimously, related to the Insular Crafts Plan (200,000 euros) and improvements to the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium (500,000 euros).
From the PSOE, its spokesman, Javier Rodríguez, criticized that the amendment to the entire CC is “not very solid and worked” and that the value of the partial ones “only represents 7% of the budget”, with which he assumed that they support the rest. Along these lines, he also responded to Sí Podemos Canarias that his amendments only account for 4% of the budget and stated that this does not support an amendment to the entirety. He also defended that many of the partials are already running.
island president
Meanwhile, the insular president, Pedro Martín, thanked “the interest of the PP in reaching an agreement and in that outstretched hand.” Likewise, to Sí Podemos Canarias he replied that “we comply with what we agreed” and reminded him that in that 2019 agreement the motor circuit did not appear, but that he had always defended it. He pointed out that they have threatened to break the governance agreement “on several occasions” and “and that is not why the relationship between the two groups was interrupted,” although he pointed out that “when they definitely broke I found out through the media, and when someone breaks an agreement I just feel committed to the Island.”
As for CC, he stated that “it never ceases to amaze me how he handles the figures to change reality” and defended the distribution between municipalities, the data on job creation and dependency positions, as well as the investment to end the spills. He also reminded him that the 2019 accounts, under CC’s mandate, were also approved thanks to the support of the PP.
“These budgets leave the door open for Tenerife not to stand still, to generate employment, wealth and the best conditions for citizens, which is why they should at least be able to abstain,” he concluded.
