7 billion 128 million euros in the next four years. According to the expert report commissioned a month ago by the Ministry of Finance and presented this Wednesday, this amount is the additional amount that the Valencian Community must receive from the regional financing system to keep in line with the average resources received by the remaining regions. groups in parliament Mixed Consell-Corts finance commission. All parties except Vox were in favor of these results, which the Valencian Administration wanted to use as the basis for its claims against Moncloa, although the Ministry of Finance did not submit a definitive proposal to be voted on.
A group of wise men proposes a growing equalization fund in the legislature It will contribute an average of 1.782 million to the Valencian Community Extra euros to compensate for the lack of resources transferred by the current model. In the first year, this will benefit four underfunded communities, namely Murcia, Andalusia and Castilla-La Mancha, as well as Valencia; The four heads of these communities sealed the so-called “Fitur conspiracy” through this transition mechanism a few days ago.
In the first year, currently 2024, the Valencian Community will be responsible for: 1.183 million out of a total of 3.237 million The figures the government must provide are very similar to those estimated by Fedea in its last report. From here on, these transfers will be adjusted from year to year, as the average will change when resources are added to these four autonomies, and some regions may even fall below this new average and therefore fall into the leveling fund according to the next exercise.
According to calculations, the Generalitat should enter an extra 1,746 million in 2025; 2.002 million in 2026 and 2.196 in 2027. Only Andalusia could receive more resources in absolute terms. In total, the State must contribute an average of 6.1 billion more per year, 24.4 billion during the legislative period.
As explained by Ivie’s director and de facto leader of this committee of experts, Francisco PerezDuring this period, the autonomies currently mistreated by the system will gradually reach 99% funding, and apparently existing distances will decrease (91.8% in the case of Valencia, compared to others such as Cantabria, which is 15 points above the average).
In fact, one of the strengths of the proposal is that it is a progressive method of gradually equalizing resources. facilitate political consensus We are striving for the reform of the system so that in a few years there will not be such a difference between the autonomies and such a clear line between winners and losers.
Pérez and the experts did not forget the debt and the possibility of possible forgiveness. With the update of the research High percentage of liabilities resulting from inadequate financing, already close to 80%. Some 43 billion over 55,000 million currently owed.
On this basis, Pérez once again insisted that not only the collective underfinancing (resulting from the financial crisis and which the Government wanted to calculate to alleviate Catalonia’s debt) but also the relative financing should be assessed; autonomies that are structurally mistreated by the system.
“Both are very important,” he said, arguing that the experts’ “desire” was for the dismissal to include both sides. He even added a third leg: the interest generated by this debtLocated within 6.5 billion. And he emphasized that since almost everything is now subscribed to the FLA, this will not cost the State anything, so it will simply be a change of ownership from the Generalitat to the central Government.
“Consensus” with reproaches
After the meeting, the Minister of Finance, Ruth MerinoTaking as an example the support of employers and unions for the equalization fund, which he reiterated the day before the president, he underlined the “consensus” and “harmony” he perceived among political groups and extended to civil society. Carlos Mazón.
However, the parade of representatives of each formation in front of the bus showed that this “harmony” is relative. Compromís Ombudsman, Joan Baldoviasked “Stop photos and descriptions”. “Let’s vote,” she said. The coalition’s intention is for Consell to develop a parliamentary initiative based on the report and take it to the Cortes and then to Madrid.
“Everybody hold your breath,” he asked, noting the contradictions among Consel members about forgiveness. But when asked whether Compromís would take action if the government refuses to include equalization funding in budgets, he refrained from clarifying his party’s path.
Socialist Toni Gaspar It wasn’t easy for him either. Minister Maria Jesus MonteroAlthough an agreement was reached on the investment agreement with Sumar, his party moved away from this tool. “You may have your reasons, but we defend the balancing fund”. “We have been talking about this for years, a transition fund is needed for 100 percent convergence,” he said.
In any case, the focus was once again on another “transitional” mechanism: debt relief. He wanted to take advantage of the “window of opportunity” opened by the central government and called on Mazón to be “courageous” like Baldoví and override the opposition of parts of the PP to the pardons.
Socialists criticize Merino’s attendance at the conclave without a specific proposal for the groups to vote, and attribute this to internal divisions in the Consell between the PP and Vox over debt forgiveness and the stabilization fund.
Doubts that Vox’s vague statements haven’t helped dispel. After Ombudsman José María Llanos criticized the leveling fund on Monday and councilor José Luis Aguirre defended the fund on Tuesday this Wednesday Teresa RamirezThe Corts MP preferred to be “cautious”. “We cannot evaluate the document because we have not analyzed it in detail,” he apologized. He wanted to “work for the equality of Spaniards.”
Regarding the leveling fund and Aguirre’s defense, He rejected the councillor, stating that his words were not “well tactful” and “what he meant” was that “it is the central government that must provide the solution.”