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The President of the Council, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, did not obtain concrete commitments from the head of the Executive, Pedro Sánchez, during the meeting he held this Friday in Moncloa, although both Leaders decided to finalize the projects with their respective ministers in early 2025.
The head of the regional government made demands mainly in terms of infrastructure and denounced the fact that Castilla y León feels “marginalized” in supporting the campaigns.
“I came with concrete, achievable, necessary and equitable projects for my territory. I leave without specific commitments with President Sánchez but we have decided to finalize these projects with the respective ministers,” he declared, assuring that it will be “demanding.” in fulfilling their demands.
Funding
Mañueco assured that he had insisted to Sánchez that the negotiation of regional financing “must be multilateral”. “The Conference of Presidents and the Fiscal and Financial Policy Council are convened, this is what we all have to negotiate with everyone,” he stressed.
In addition, he assured that they would be very “vigilant” in matters of tax policy. “It seems that the distribution of taxes between communities according to GDP can be consolidated, this seems to me to be a breach of equality and we will defend the interests of our Community starting with the courts,” he said.
Infrastructure
The President of the Council insisted to Sánchez on the need to “give impetus to the Atlantic Corridor”. “It is vital for the entire northwest quadrant of the peninsula and must allow the development and connection of the nine provinces,” he said, recalling that there are more than 15 actions “pending”.
He also referred to digitalization and energy infrastructure. “We are the leading community in the production of renewable energy, we are not going to allow it to continue to pass through the territory of the Community, we need better electricity network infrastructure and more regulation flexible,” he said.
In addition, he requested the modification of the regulation of “large industrial self-consumption”. “The current regulations do not serve the large industrial centers that Castilla y León promotes,” he said.
Water management
He also recommended taking action in water management. “The Duero Hydrological Plan does not meet our needs because it prevents the development of irrigation and it is necessary to increase the regulatory capacity in the Duero basin,” he stressed.
Sánchez also advocated for the rationalization of all the reservoir infrastructure that the state must undertake “and which has been on hold for years.” “I also reminded him of the need to clean the canals to avoid flooding in the event of a flood,” he added.
Health and education
He also indicated that they had discussed the shortage of doctors, which will be addressed at the Conference of Presidents in December, the common EBAU, the financing of universities, housing and the fact that the transport card “cannot not eliminate the 346 bus stops in the municipalities of the Community”.
“We have discussed different economic aspects, we consider it essential that the Spanish government provides more support to businesses and workers, we have requested that the maximum reach 20% of labor costs for aid to operation in Soria, Cuenca and Teruel”, he added.
He also asked to be able to propose formulas benefiting “other areas experiencing significant population loss”.
Automotive and terrain
Regarding the automotive sector, Mañueco proposed to Sánchez “coordinated action with the sector.” “The Automotive Round Table meeting is important to improve competitiveness by making industrial reality and employment compatible with a just transition,” he said.
And he denounced the fact that Castilla y León feels “belittled” by the government. “There has been marginalization in aid for drought, in relation to aid from EHE, we have been left behind and the Autonomous Government has only faced this problem and in irrigation to the need to promote the Hydrological Plan”, he indicated.
He also recalled that “the development of irrigation modernization, the establishment of new irrigation systems and the slowing down of authorizations and procedures in ministries” are on hold. And he calls for a CAP “which adapts to the real needs of the campaigns”.
“We are the pantry of Spain and we want to be the pantry of Europe,” he added.
Meetings with ministers
Mañueco demanded that all these projects and commitments that he proposed materialize in the work with the different ministers. “It is important that all these issues are taken into account,” he said.
And he assured that Sánchez told him that he would facilitate the transmission of the message to ministers.
“From next week, we will contact the ministries to have meetings as soon as possible, after Christmas. We will determine whether it is necessary to have meetings between advisers and secretaries of state,” he said. he added.
Regarding Vox’s criticism that the PP presidents would meet with Sánchez after Feijóo’s motion of censure, Mañueco assured that he had to “defend all the peoples of the Community.”
“I will do it in all places where it is necessary and as president, my obligation is to represent all the people and that is what I am doing right now. I have always demanded that all presidents and forces policies when I had government responsibilities”, he said.
