The Minister of Finance and Public Administration, Elena Manzano, highlighted this Thursday, November 21, during a plenary session, that the 2024 budget is, as of November 18, at 71 percent, with expected to reach between 88 and 91 percent by the end of the yearwho stressed that the data “could be improved” and that the Regional Executive will continue to work on it because it is not looking for “excuses”.
Manzano gave these figures in response to the question asked in plenary by the representative of Unidas for Extremadura, José Antonio González Frutos, who criticized the regional government for its “propaganda“in view of the execution reports, particularly in the area of investments, in which only 16 euros out of 100 budgeted were spent.
In his response, Manzano highlighted that, following the historic series of the investment chapter, the execution at the end of the year will be at a level “very similar to that of previous years and with growth since September of almost by 25%. .
He highlighted the execution of the Ministry of Infrastructure this will end the year with approximately 185 million euros executed, which will allow, he listed, to complete the work on Badajoz airport at “99%”; the construction of 75 housing units financed by public funds in different municipalities of the two provinces.
Also that 23.3 million euros were allocated to accommodation“if necessary” in Extremadura, and that 70% of the new Alcántara Bridge is completed, the work of which will be completed in 2025.
84 euros out of 100 without execution
For his part, the representative of Unidas for Extremadura said that the data on the execution left him “surprised” and “stunned”, because the party that makes management its “flag” shows that as managers “they walk regularly”.
“You spent 100 euros on investments, only 16. In capital transfers, which are still third-party investments – investments from municipalities, private companies – 22 euros out of 100,” said González Frutos, who gave some examples . .
This is the case of Convalescence and care center in which 185,000 euros out of the 20 million budgeted were executed, or 0.60%; or “zero euros” materialized by sanitation and purification actions, renovation of accommodation centers and local clinics, zero; actions in favor of the natural environment and environmental quality; educational infrastructure in secondary education establishments, among others.
Thus, with the data at the end of the third quarter, of the 8,194,000,000 euros of the regional budget for 2024, the regional administration has 3,465,000,000 euros awaiting execution. “They have the habit of settling into the dictionary of hyperbole when it comes to bragging,” reproached González Frutos, referring to government expressions such as “enormous work” or “immense effort” , but with this data on the table “they would have to verify the respect of these hyperboles”.
Therefore, if the government of María Guardiola claims “to have no ideology”, and now it is demonstrated that “the management is regular”, what remains is “propaganda”, by which it asks if it will be enough to reach the end of the legislature.
