The State does not execute even half of what is budgeted for Catalonia. In 2022, investments remained at 43%, a figure that is far from that of Madrid: 179.7%. The numbers for the first half of 2023 are not encouraging for the Generalitat either, since they remain at 16%. Given what has been seen, the Generalitat has agreed at today's Executive Council meeting to claim 5,029 million euros to cover "the grievance."
The Government has calculated that these more than 5,000 million is the amount that the State has not executed from 2015 to 2022. The Government spokesperson, Patrícia Plaja, has justified that 2015 be taken as a reference because it is the first year in which complete data is available. However, Plaja has completely ruled out putting it as a condition in the negotiation for the general budgets that Pedro Sánchez may prepare for this year.
However, Pere Aragonès called the investment “shameful” and “laughable”. “It shows the umpteenth contempt for all Catalans,” he added. Today he was taken over by the Government spokesperson, Patrícia Plaja, who assured that this “systematic shortage” is “outrageous and an insult.” “Catalonia always comes out very badly treated; It is clear that there is a political will to belittle Catalonia and in the end it does not matter who governs in Moncloa,” she complained.
The figures represent one more argument for the Catalan Executive to once again demand “singular” and differentiated financing for Catalonia. This afternoon Plaja insisted on it. The president of the Generalitat set this as an objective at the end of last year and in November he commissioned the Minister of Economy, Natàlia Mas, with a report that should have been presented no later than February. Today, Plaja has assured that it will be ready “soon, in a matter of weeks.”
Aragonès then announced that the proposal will be based on the idea that Catalonia collects all of its own taxes "to end the fiscal deficit, which Economia estimated at 22 billion euros in 2021 alone.
Mas had another assigned task: to ensure that the investment promised by the central government for Catalonia was executed and to develop tools to guarantee it. In case of non-compliance, the counselor is in charge of finding compensation formulas.
The low investment of the State in Catalonia is not exclusive to this year. In 2021 it was 35.8% for the entire year.
