Galicia demands fair treatment of its projects in front of more privileged communities

“The government does not respond to Galicia’s priorities”. This is how Vice President Xunte and the Minister of Economy and Industry answered directly yesterday. Count Francisto the Government’s decision to exclude the project of the forest textile fiber biofactory of the Altri group in Lugo (Palas de Rei) from the new item of European funds — which is charged in the appendix of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan — , approved on Tuesday by the Council of Ministers to send it to Brussels and be able mobilize more than 94,000 million additional euros.

According to the Government, the contributions of Galicia, except Altri, were taken into account, according to the criteria established by the European Commission.

“Sánchez breaks his word”

In the words of the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Nadia Calvino«all the projects proposed by the autonomous community of Galicia are included, except for one that seems to have a huge interest, but they must understand that the rules for the application of the funds require control procedures for any conflict of interest and that they cannot point the finger or make arbitrary decisions.

The Galician vice-president responded to this statement by reminding Calviño that the government is breaking its word because “the president himself, Pedro Sánchez, has guaranteed his explicit support for this [Altri] and other projects, to the President of Xunta, Alfonso Rueda, in Moncloa».

Inconceivable blockade of Altria

“In Xunta We are still waiting for the Government’s response to the project portfolio which we presented as part of the candidacy for European funds,” he said when asked by the media about Calviño’s statements. Conde believes that “The government could not identify this project within PERTE or give it the equality that is given to other projects”; and assured that “blocking the Altri project is not conceivable when it is focused on the forestry industry, sustainability and the circular economy”.

The Galician vice president opposed the state of blockade of investment plans planned in Galicia —Altri, Resonac, Stellantis or Rozas aerospace center—, with the situation in three other autonomous communities, among which the Sánchez Executive distributed 600 million. «The government transferred direct aid to the Community of Valencia and Catalonia with 120 million in the automotive sector; and 450 million for ArcelorMittal in Asturias, in this case before the decarbonization of PERTA itself,” condemned Conde, who asked for “fair treatment” for Galicia, and to speed up those projects that meet the criteria of the European Union.

The management and the way the government handles the European recovery funds did not only enrage the Galician government.

Communities governed by the People’s Party and candidates for future presidents requested in a letter to Vice President Calviño, withdraw the recovery plan supplement sent unilaterally to the European Commission yesterday.

PP’s letter to Calvin

PP regional leaders condemn itThe government “does not have the legitimacy to negotiate with Brussels economic and investment policy before the general elections» which can change the political face of the country. “We believe that the current political scenario, with important changes in regional governments and held general elections, does not meet the minimum requirements to propose a program of the depth we are talking about, and even more so without consensus,” they maintain. The letter was signed by the councilors of the Ministry of Finance of the autonomous communities and cities where the popular ones already rule (Andalusia, Castilla y León, Galicia, Madrid, Murcia and Ceuta), as well as the candidates who won the regional elections of the last 28 -M (those from Aragon, the Canary Islands islands, Cantabria, Valencia, Extremadura, Balearic Islands, La Rioja and Melilla) who have not yet taken office.

“You’re still on time”

Sending the supplement implies the establishment of a government plan for the next president of Spain, who will have to undertake the reforms and investments necessary to obtain these funds. Calviño justified the rush in Spain’s very short deadlines: the supplement must be sent before August 31 and after the elections there would not be time for the new government to develop another program.

“We see with concern that the serious deficiency that the European Parliament’s report has already revealed is being repeated: the insufficient level of dialogue, negotiations and agreements with the communities. You have arrived in time to avoid repeating the mistakes”, warn the signatories Calviño.

The future Executive will not have room to change the distribution of European funds

The political calendar is so tight due to the calling of general elections on July 23 that the Government that abandons that appointment will practically have its hands tied in front of possible changes that it wants to include in the new request for European funds that Spain has just reached the European Commission. That future Executive will have practically a month and a half, if the deadlines are met as soon as possible, to undertake changes in the reforms and investments contained in the addendum that the Ministry of Economy will send to Brussels.

The calendar defined by the European regulation shows that after the executive sends it to the European Commission, this body has two months to evaluate the supplement and, if necessary, ratify it. We would talk about the end of August at the earliest, given that Spain intends to send that document during this month of June. After those two months, it would be evaluated by the EU Council, which still has a month until the final approval of the plan. In other words, the future government could try to modify the plan no later than mid-October.

30 days for renegotiation

Given that the general election is on July 23 and that the constitution of the Cortes would be on August 17, there would not be a new government until at least the beginning or middle of September. From then on, any change would have just over 30 days to renegotiate with Brussels. It may be about technical changes and specific adjustments, but not about major problems, according to various sources familiar with this type of negotiation. What was agreed upon for months cannot be changed in weeks, they say.

Among other things, the Economy included the reform of the selling price to small consumers, i.e. the regulated electricity tariff, and the amendment of the Law on the Stock Exchange and Investment Services. The government intends that the included reforms will enable a viable and sustainable growth model, thanks to the mobilization of an additional 7,700 million euros in transfers and 84,000 million euros in loans, of which 2,600 million euros will be the REpowerEU mechanism. added..