Asián urges parties to improve funding system in parliament

The Canary Islands Government’s Finance Minister, Matilde Asián (PP), has called on all political parties to improve the new regional funding system whilst it is being debated in the Spanish Parliament and to «put the public interest before other considerations».

During a hearing before a parliamentary committee, called by Nueva Canarias to explain the reasons behind the Canary Islands Executive’s «sudden U-turn» on the new funding system, Asián emphasised that his «overall assessment» of the agreement reached by Fernando Clavijo with the Government «is positive».

And this is the case, as he explained, because «any attempt» to include the REF in any calculation of the resources allocated to the Canary Islands is ruled out, and the General Tax on Business Transactions (IGTE) is abolished once and for all, which makes it possible to plan «over a longer period» and to make projections for the Canary Islands Development Fund.

Canary Islands funding: Government calls for four amendments to the draft

In any case, he has warned that there are still «loose ends» to be tied up as the bill goes through the legislative process, and has indicated that the Canary Islands Government will submit representations which it hopes will be taken into account.

Specifically, it will call for the island status weighting to be maintained, for the severe poverty variable to be included, for participation in the climate change compensation fund to be improved, and for the adjusted population figure for each financial year to be used rather than the average of the last three years.

Nueva Canarias criticises the government's change of course

Esther González (NC) has responded by pointing out that the exclusion from the REF was already provided for in the Government’s initial proposal, which the Canary Islands‘ Executive had branded as «ruin and an insult» to the islands, only for them now to defend it as «the eighth wonder», just like the additional 500 million euros provided through a compensation fund.

He has therefore calculated that the key to the ‚conversion‘ within the CC-PP coalition government lies in an additional 226 million, which is outside the funding system.

«How much does it cost to buy off the Canary Islands Government and save its pride? Easy: 226 million,» quipped the NC MP, who criticised the minister for her «audacity» in claiming to have «stood firm» on the outcome of the negotiations, only to then be absent twice from the Fiscal and Financial Policy Council.

Matilde Asián has denied that the change in assessment regarding the new funding system is due solely to those 226 million, but rather that President Fernando Clavijo also agreed with the Minister for Finance, Arcadi España, that the additional 500 million should be channelled through an economic development fund rather than a compensation fund, which has «very specific purposes».

«As a result, Clavijo ‚ensured that those 500 million could actually be used, rather than it just being a publicity stunt‘,» he added.

Esther González (NC) has rejected the minister’s explanations, criticising her for her «rambling speech full of flowery language», an attempt to «walk a tightrope to hide her change of heart, because the figures have exposed her».

And so, at the last committee meeting, «a red line was pulled out of thin air», namely, that the Canarian MPs from the PP would vote in favour of the new model if the agreement reached outside the committee by the Canary Islands Government were also put to a vote.

All of this, González continued, «is to justify the vote against the proposal, which has already been ordered» by the PP’s headquarters, and he predicted that the new system «will never see the light of day» and that the 1.3 billion pledged to the Canary Islands «will be shelved».

Vox and PP expect reform after the election

Paula Jover (Vox) has made the same prediction, although in her case she predicts that the new model will be «shelved» following the calling of a general election, a development she has welcomed after the «embarrassing» sight of the Canary Islands supporting it in the Fiscal and Financial Policy Council alongside only Catalonia.

He stated that the minister’s arguments to justify the Canary Islands government’s change of stance were «not convincing» and criticised the political parties for «using funding to buy separatist votes for decades».

Jover has called for a new distribution system that is «fair and equitable, with a view to national unity», as well as a rethink of the territorial model.

Fernando Enseat (PP) has emphasised that «one of the most important tasks» facing the government formed following the 29 November elections will be precisely the reform of the regional funding system.

He has given an assurance that, should the PP come to power, it will do so «respecting the equality of all Spaniards» and «without privileges» for any autonomous community, whilst negotiating on a multilateral basis.

However, until the elections take place, he pointed out that there are numerous outstanding issues and wondered whether Pedro Sánchez’s government would honour its commitments to the Canary Islands or «whether, once again, it will lie to and deceive» the people of the Canary Islands, as it has, in his view, done throughout the entire parliamentary term.

He referred to the economic stimulus fund, the co-management of airports, the 100 million euros earmarked for the reconstruction of La Palma, the true cost of transport, the funds allocated to the fight against poverty, and the deployment of Frontex and the Armed Forces in response to the arrival of small boats and dinghies.

CC and PSOE are insisting on the agreed payments

Socorro Beato (CC) has emphasised that the agreement reached between Fernando Clavijo and Arcadi España «is more positive» for the Canary Islands than the central government’s initial proposal, although «the question is what will happen with the early elections».

Speaking on behalf of CC, Beato stated, «We are calling for the agreements to be honoured», whilst acknowledging that the new funding system «will be analysed by the new government» formed after 29 November, «but we do not want there to be a single step backwards».

He agreed with the PP MP that «the parliamentary term has ended, but there are agreements to be honoured in these 50-odd days» before the election.

Manuel Hernández (PSOE) has called on the Regional Minister for Finance to «speak to her colleagues» in the party and, «if they do not trust» the Spanish Government, to trust her instead; he describes the agreement as «very good», although, having listened to Fernando Enseñat, he is unsure «which version» of the PP he should side with.

Unlike the groups that support the Canary Islands Government, he has argued that the dissolution of the Regional Parliament «does not nullify» the agreement reached with the Canary Islands Executive, nor the more than 1.3 billion committed.

On this matter, Matilde Asián has commented that if the caretaker government «considers» settling «any outstanding debts» or bringing agreements before the Council of Ministers, the regional government will be «grateful, and this will allow us to understand its intentions regarding the Canary Islands».