Domínguez (PP) sees the budgets as “unfair, unrealistic and irresponsible” and Barragán (CC-PNC) believes that they will help the Canarian economy “little or nothing”
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Nov. 23 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Plenary Session of the Parliament of the Canary Islands has agreed this Wednesday to continue the processing of the 2023 regional budget after rejecting the amendments to the entire CC-PNC and PP with 36 votes against, 32 in favor and two abstentions.
The budget, which has been defended by the Vice President and Minister of Finance, Román Rodríguez, reaches a total amount of 10,180 million euros, which represents an increase of 11.9 percent and 1,082 million compared to the 2022 accounts, and it has tax benefits worth 2,321 million and a reduction via personal income tax valued at 100 million.
Social spending experienced an increase of 9.4% to stand at 7,478 million euros and the Department of Social Rights stands out, whose items rose 89 million euros, 15.3%, to stand at 669 million -a 45% since the beginning of the Legislature–.
In addition, the Canary Islands Health Service will manage 3,793 million euros (331.7 million more than this year), which represents an increase of 9.5% while Education grows 8.8% to stand at 2,326 million euro.
Regarding the support policies for the productive sectors, these grow to 395 million euros, while investments will reach 1,764 million euros, which represents a significant increase compared to 2019 of 90.8% and 75 %, respectively.
Likewise, the accounts include that the reconstruction of La Palma will have 100 million, 60 already consigned and another 100 million via credit.
Rodríguez has commented that the debate on the amendments to the totality has shown that the opposition is not “an alternative” for the Government and, in response to this, has demanded a “united” Executive and that it has represented a “calm leadership” to face a Legislature convulsed by the pandemic and the economic effects of the war in Ukraine.
He has commented that with a normalized mandate the social transformations in the islands would be “deeper” and for this reason he trusts in the electoral results of May to maintain the same political alliance “and you warming up the bench”, in reference to CC and PP.
The spokesman for the Popular Group, Manuel Domínguez, has said that the budgets are the most “unfair, unrealistic and irresponsible” in the history of the Canary Islands because they drag “too heavy a slab”, since they incur debt and increase taxes by depending on the PGE.
He has charged against the lack of foresight of the Government — “they have not succeeded in one” — and warned that the accounts “create false expectations” for the canaries since investments are projected that are not executed later.
Domínguez has also said that “it is a shame” that a housing plan has not yet been executed in La Palma, which demonstrates the “manifest inability” to execute the budget despite the fact that the Government has had many financial resources available.
BARRAGÁN CLAIMS MORE EFFICIENCY
The spokesman for the Nationalist Group, José Miguel Barragán, has commented that the regional budget is “improvable” and “insufficient” and a “more effective” way can be found to face the “uncertainty” of 2023.
He has detailed that the budget “will help little or nothing” to the economic recovery of the islands since it will not reach families and he understands that the 100 million savings plan is not enough.
It has also regretted that the Government of the Canary Islands has not wanted to discuss its alternative proposal and does not better distribute resources to seek “excellence” in management. “They haven’t even considered sitting down when they fill their mouths with dialogue,” she said.
The spokesman for Ciudadanos, Ricardo Fernández (Cs), has criticized the lack of ambition of the Government of the Canary Islands with the tax reform included in the 2023 budget project and has urged to avoid the “waste” of public resources.
For her part, the deputy of the Mixed Group Vidina Espino has branded the tax reform promoted by the Government in the regional budgets as a “scam” since it amounts to 100 million and only in IGIC the increase will be around 500 million.
CURBELO: “ALL POLICIES ARE NOT THE SAME”
The spokesman for the Gomera Socialist Association (ASG), Casimiro Curbelo, has said that the regional budget for 2023 is “reasonable and balanced” and the “best” to strengthen basic services and boost the growth of the islands.
He has also defended the “stability” of the regional pact to carry out his fourth accounts of the Legislature and that shows that “all policies are not equal.”
The spokesman for Sí Podemos, Manuel Marrero, has warned of the risk that CC’s support for the General State Budgets (PGE) does not confuse political alliances on the islands and return to previous governments characterized by “betrayals.” “Faced with governments of return, governments of progress”, he has pointed out.
The parliamentary spokesman for Nueva Canarias (NC), Luis Campos, has affirmed that the 2023 budgets are “good” and follow the “manual” of growing without raising taxes or indebtedness and increasing collection in order to better serve public services and help the productive sectors.
He has dismantled the “Benjamin Button amendments” of the opposition because they have tried to demonstrate that the 2018 budget is “better” with fewer resources than that of 2023 when there is now an “undoubted improvement” in dependency, there is more aid for vulnerable groups and less unemployment and more contributors.
The economic spokesman for the Socialist Group, Iñaki Lavandera, has said that the 2023 regional budget provides “certainty” to the future of the islands and establishes that the Canary Islands “improve day by day”.
He has admitted that “much remains to be done” but understands that this document is a “pride” that underpins the government path outlined by the ‘Pact of Flowers’ with more investment and contribution of resources to social services.
