The Economic, Finance, and European Funds Advisor and spokesperson for the Andalusian Government, Carolina España, reiterated on Thursday that «debt forgiveness does not solve the problem» and emphasized that «what we need is a reform of the financing system.»
Spain, when questioned by journalists about debt forgiveness in Madrid and whether Andalusia could consider this option in the future, explained, «I also read about the debt forgiveness in Madrid, so yesterday I contacted the advisor in Madrid, and she clarified that there was a misunderstanding in the information, and that they were not considering debt forgiveness.»
She further emphasized, «We maintain our position, as we have stated from the beginning, like most autonomous communities, debt forgiveness does not solve the problem.»
She stressed that «real resources would not reach us to pay for our educational centers, teachers, or hospitals; it is more of a fiscal makeup operation, a balance sheet makeup, and Andalusia does not really have a debt problem.»
«Andalusia has a debt well below the average, we have financial autonomy, financial solvency, we go to markets, something not all autonomous communities can do, with successful bond issuances,» she said.
Therefore, she said, «what we need is a reform of the financing system.» She pointed out that Andalusia is losing €1.522 million each year due to an unfair and damaging financing system.
«We receive €1.522 million less than the average of the rest of Spain,» she added, emphasizing that «there are four underfunded communities: Valencia, Murcia, Andalusia, and Castilla-La Mancha,» so «we cannot understand why, while the system is being reformed, a temporary equalization fund is not created to compensate these four autonomous communities.»
Spain added that «we do not want more money than the average, we want equality with the average; with a little over €3.000 million per year, this fund could be established while the system is being reformed.»
She also stated that «María Jesús Montero, who is in charge of Finance, and who requested this fund when she was an advisor in Andalusia, once again denies the basics to her land, betraying Andalusia.»
Spain also emphasized that «this is why we oppose the Catalan quota and that unique financing, because it is simply another payment to the blackmail of independence so that Mr. Sánchez can stay in the Moncloa for one more day.»
Lastly, she made it clear that «we will not whitewash the concessions to independence, neither with debt forgiveness nor with unique financing, the Catalan quota, which is an injustice, as it completely breaks the constitutional principle of equality»: «Spaniards are equal under the law, wherever we live, and that Catalan quota completely breaks the principle of equality for all Spaniards,» she concluded.
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