The PP governs in a minority in Extremadura after the departure of Vox from the bipartisanship and this forces it to seek support for the approval of the 2025 budgets. But the president, María Guardiola, preferred not to take risks after the vetoes and the conditions set by all political groups and in a public appearance called at the last minute, a few minutes before the start of the negotiations, he announced that next year 20 million euros would be allocated to the regional accounts for the Tierra de Barros irrigation macroproject (Badajoz).
Thus, the right is winking at the far right to obtain its support for the budgets, since the implementation of this initiative, promised almost three decades ago, was a demand of Vox, first in the government, where the powers were in their hands, as now in the opposition, where they demanded this Thursday the “immediate” start of the project. However, Guardiola assured that it was not a wink to Vox, but rather the “demonstration” that his administration believes in a project that has paralyzed it.
Last June, Santiago Abascal’s deputies threatened their then PP partners with abandoning the regional accounts for 2025 if a post for the start of irrigation was not included. Vox calculated that with 35 million euros per year, the project would be a reality in eight years, but was met with Guardiola’s refusal or, at least, with his conditions: the Council would provide money on condition that the central government also assume a share. which since 2020 has been a project of general interest.
“This is a very expensive infrastructure and the Extremadura government cannot undertake this project alone,” said the president on the same day that her executive withdrew 104 million euros from Europe to finance irrigation. But now, only three months later and while he has to negotiate minority budgets, Guardiola is not waiting for funding from the government and is announcing 20 million for next year for a project that after several modifications requires an investment of 230 million.
“Extremadura can no longer wait,” he said, although he did not renounce the State’s contribution “so that the project can see the light of day as soon as possible.” And he recalled that the Government has financed a similar project in Euskadi. At the same time, the Council wants to seek European funds for this irrigation.
For the PSOE, which has the same number of deputies as Vox, the irrigation of Tierra de Barros is also a necessary condition for the budget negotiations. But the socialists have set two additional conditions: the abolition of “tax privileges for the richest” and universal free school meals. But these issues are not on the PP’s agenda. The president has assured that next year’s accounts will be expansive, “the highest in history”, just like this year’s, and that they will continue on the path of “fair taxation”. In addition, the Minister of Education, Mercedes Vaquera, insisted during this Thursday’s plenary session on scholarships in schools with income criteria.
Maria Guardiola also said that the 2025 budget would strengthen health, addiction care, education and guarantee care “to those who need it most”, in addition to supporting businesses and the self-employed. There will also be “important” investments, although he did not explain which ones.
