SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Oct. 23 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The president of Nueva Canarias-Bloque Canarista (NC-BC), Román Rodríguez, has stated that the draft General Budget Law of the Autonomous Community for 2024, the first of the Government of CC and PP, are “very reckless and unsustainable” over time, in addition to “the most expansive”, which expresses “the incoherence of the Canarian right that, in the last legislature and from the opposition, denigrated the Government’s accounts of progress made with the same expansive criterion.”
Román Rodríguez has criticized the “programmed and massive deception” by failing to fulfill the promise of lowering the IGIC from 7% to 5%, at the same time as raising the rates of some products, and announced that revenue collection will increase by 16.7 %. “They do the opposite of what they defended, and what they criticized us for, four years ago. They copy our policies and break their promises.”
During the assessment of the first hundred days of the Government chaired by Fernando Clavijo, the president of NC-BC insisted on the “programmed, massive and premeditated deception” warned by his party about the “non-compliance” of lowering the general IGIC by two points “without “compromise” health, education, social services, investments in infrastructure and aid to productive sectors.
According to Rodríguez, the specific modifications decided on the same tax represent an “increase” in the fiscal pressure, in its net balance. He announced that revenue collection will increase by 17%. The measures on the Personal Income Tax (IRPF), he added, are an “extension” of those decided by the Progress Executive, which were “harshly criticized” by CC and the PP.
“With these decisions, along with the forgiveness of the 6,000 richest people on the islands from the Inheritance Tax,” Román Rodríguez said that the main lines presented so far in the budgets for 2024 reveal “very expansive” accounts; a characteristic that “the Canary Islands right denounced and rejected in the past four years, but that they copy today,” he remarked.
In his opinion, it is a “very imprudent and unsustainable” budget over time. He predicted “difficulties” in 2025 and 2026. He based it on the fact that public spending increases by 1,121 million euros, more than 11%, despite the fact that the economy shows signs of stagnation.
“They do exactly the opposite of what they defended and demanded from the opposition between 2019 and 2023, which is what they used to question the progress pact,” reiterated Román Rodríguez, who was referring to Clavijo’s complaints that the Executive of progress “became richer by collecting more while families became poorer” or that “more than ever was collected at the worst time for families.” He recommended to the president of NC-BC that “the story be applied.”
“Inconsistencies and deceptions that are linked,” he continued, “to other political decisions that portray them, such as the decree for the control of public television and radio, the Radio Televisión Canaria entity.” She emphasized that always, until now, qualified majorities were sought. Also the increase in the Government structure, the largest in the history of the community with the creation of 48 senior officials and advisors.
With an average cost of 85,000 euros per year per position, 4 million euros per year in total and 16 million euros more in the legislature. Another “absolute inconsistency” with the position of CC and the PP in the last legislature, added Román Rodríguez.
PARLIAMENTARY INITIATIVES
The parliamentary spokesperson for NC-BC, Luis Campos, added that this political balance of the first 100 days of the Executive will mark some of the initiatives that NC-BC will take to the plenary session of Parliament, which begins tomorrow. He asks Clavijo, and after the “massive electoral fraud” of CC and the PP, the spokesperson will ask about the essential elements of the 2024 budget.
The second oral question will focus on the resignation of the head of the General Directorate of Educational Infrastructures, Fernando Miñarro. For the parliamentary spokesperson, it is the resignation of a representative of the Gomera Socialist Group (ASG) that “is not coincidental” and shows the existence of “disagreements” in the pact.
The appearance will be given to the Minister of the Treasury, Matilde Asián, for the measures to facilitate tax obligations and prosecute tax fraud. Luis Campos explained that this initiative shows that Clavijo’s cabinet “does not know what it has on its hands.” “Asian’s lack of knowledge about the existence of a plan, made in the last legislature, is worrying,” he added.
Nueva Canarias will also defend a motion that contains various measures to “resume progress” in the development of the strategic plan for education from zero to three years, launched in the 10th Legislature. Also a non-legal proposal to grant extraordinary and direct aid to livestock farming of 8.5 million euros.
Campos reproached the Canary Islands advisor on the matter, Narvay Quintero, for “lack of elegance” for announcing, the day after NC-BC publicly presented the non-legal proposal, the Government’s approval of aid to the same sector of 8 million euros. “We want to maintain our initiative because it shows, once again, the importance that this sector has for the Canary Islands of progress,” stressed the spokesperson.
Luis Campos, apart from the initiatives for the plenary session, advanced a proposal shared with the socialist group to create, in the Chamber, a study commission related to the Economic and Fiscal Regime (REF). “It is fundamental and essential for it to continue to be valid that it be subject to a review in order to adapt to the social and economic evolution of the last eight years in the Canary Islands,” said Campos.
