Carlos Mazón: Territorial generosity

That the citizens of Valencian Community We are generous and considerate of others, this is something we have demonstrated throughout history. The world’s first hospital for the mentally ill was founded in Valencia in the 14th century by Father Jofré. The most important humanitarian mission of all time was the spread of the smallpox vaccine in America and Asia and was carried out by the Alicante physician Francisco Javier de Balmis in the 19th century.

On the occasion of Valencian Community Day, I wanted to recall these two examples that demonstrate the altruistic character of this land. No one can doubt the human sensitivity of the inhabitants of Alicante, Castellón and Valencia. Neither before nor now.

We have been, we are and we will support it.

Living in the Valencian Community is a chance and being part of Spain is a source of pride. We do not like political borders, those which isolate territories and produce differences between citizens of the same country.

Rights for all and respect for all because we are all equal before a Constitution which recognizes it, even if some want to pervert it.

A Spaniard cannot and must not have more privileges than another. I cannot and must not tolerate that Valencians do not have the same opportunities as the rest of the Spaniards.

These people give when needed and for the same reason, they ask when they need it. To have need fair funding for our public services. For too long, dragging out the indolence of the central government which, in recent years, has also governed with favoritism, fueling discord between the autonomous communities.

We rightly claim. With arguments and data. Last year we created jobs and wealth. We are the region that has generated the most jobs with the integration of 97,600 people into the labor market, we have created 7,053 new businesses and we inspire confidence in foreign investors.

In return, they return contempt. Spain owes the Valencian Community 4.5 billion euros in social policies and the Valencians we receive 276 euros less per capita than the average of the rest of the autonomy. This is not fair and we demand that territorial generosity be bidirectional between the State and the Valencian Community.

The current Consell makes the most of the financial resources available to us and we diligently take care of all areas of management. Along the way, we have noted the signs that policies must follow that will improve the quality of life of residents. There are already more tax deductions and fewer taxes for low and middle incomes; Hospitals have already been equipped with more technology to prevent, detect and cure diseases and healthcare waiting lists have been reduced; There is already educational freedom to choose our children’s school and free education from 0 to 3 years old is a reality; Breast cancer prevention tests have now been repeated for all women and we have once again paid the Valencian integration income and created places in retirement homes. Health, along with education, is what matters most to this government.

We do not forget our young people, with the bonus for the purchase of their first home so that they can start the life project they want, nor the entrepreneurs, whom we help with microcredits to get their business off the ground.

We are a region rich in talent and abundant in creativity, with moderate ambition that allows us to progress in a country that makes us stronger if we add up and weakens us if we divide.

Some objectives will only be achieved if we work collaboratively: water redistribution, the Mediterranean corridor, financing or migration management are some of the issues that require consensus.

It is a patient, dialoguing with people capable of reaching agreements as long as our self-government, our Statute of Autonomy and the Spanish Constitution are respected, which are perfectly compatible and synchronized norms.

On October 9, we, the Valencians, want to make it clear to the rest of the Spaniards that we want to move forward together in a united country, that we do not want differences in obligations or rights and that the only singularities we admit are those that are granted to us by our culture and our language.