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The Capitality Agreement for Logroño exceeds 3 million euros for the first time -3,045,000 euros- in 2025. The President of the Government of La Rioja, Gonzalo Capellán, and the mayor of the city, Conrado Escobar, signed the agreement on Wednesday, both agreeing that it is a «historic milestone.»
According to Capellán, this new agreement, «which is the compensation for Logroño for the services it provides as a capital city,» represents «a clear and resolute commitment» from the regional government to the capital of Logroño, as well as «an agreement that demonstrates the extraordinary collaboration and cooperation between both administrations.»
The regional leader emphasized the «importance» of this signature, stating that it is the first time that the amount has exceeded three million euros, the largest funding provided by the Government of La Rioja to the City Council of Logroño in the entire community.
A mechanism, as highlighted by Capellán, «fundamental through which the Government of La Rioja provides resources and finances works and services for all municipalities in La Rioja to ensure not only their financial sufficiency but also the best provision of services to citizens.»
He also added that «it is also important to consider the Capitality Statute Law that was signed in March 2015, recognizing that Logroño as the capital city should receive compensation for both economic and social services provided to the entire autonomous community, and under that statute, this simplicity of funding is owed.»
A funding, he recalled, «that has been increasing.» «Just last year, we increased an agreement that was the largest funding received in the history of local cooperation in the municipality by the autonomous community. But this year, without settling for that funding, we had to surpass that historical barrier of 3 million,» he emphasized.
Capellán highlighted that it has been a demand from the City Council of Logroño, «they have requested it justly, sensibly, because the services provided are increasing and therefore, the budgetary effort made by the regional government must also increase.»
Furthermore, he took the opportunity to point out that «this agreement is very important, but we go further, between last year and this one, and until 2026, we have funded many other major projects because they are city projects, and we have not hesitated to complement that funding with expenses and an extraordinary budget for projects.»
Capellán framed this extra funding in five areas. Firstly, «higher education and research and knowledge,» for the expansion of the University of La Rioja; secondly, «socio-sanitary,» with the expansion of the San Pedro Hospital; culture, with the expansion of the Bretón Theater; sports, with a 5 million agreement for infrastructures; and finally, 4 million for the Cortijo neighborhood.
«Commitments and actions that demonstrate the best cooperation that makes it possible for us to advance in Logroño and La Rioja. A qualitative leap for the city and the community, important for everyone, to have the best services, the best infrastructures, and to be able to provide the best quality of life and well-being to all citizens,» he concluded.
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On his part, Escobar also highlighted what he described as «excellent news,» pointing out that «recognizing Logroño as the capital and what that implies in terms of services is important.»
He emphasized that this recognition through the Capitality Agreement «began in 2003, with Pedro Sanz; continued in 2015 with José Ignacio Ceniceros; and now takes another step forward in quality with Gonzalo Capellán.»
He particularly emphasized that «the importance of recognizing the capital status, recognizing it by law, is that it also needs to be recognized financially, to better serve our neighbors, to demand more from ourselves, and that is what we are doing, demanding a little more from ourselves.»
«We convey the demands, and there is a government that responds and is sensitive to those figures. It cannot be the same as the central government, which unfortunately still has frozen funds that could be allocated, in this case, to the City Council of Logroño,» Escobar stated, contrasting «that there is a Government of La Rioja that is able to acknowledge the sensitivity,» in aspects such as sports, neighborhoods, or health policy, among others.
Therefore, he highlighted «this dynamic of permanent collaboration,» emphasizing that «we are not only facing a historical figure, we are talking about a 2.5% increase compared to last year, but we have the firm intention of continuing to collaborate, despite any difficulties we may have from the central government, we intend to continue collaborating.»
The mayor of Logroño also mentioned that, in addition to the increase in the amount, «this agreement introduces some improvements in payment, as the payment will be expedited, with two payments, one in June and the next in November.»
And regarding the specific destination of the 3 million from the Agreement, Escobar recalled that «the Capitality Agreement does not have a specific purpose, it is not earmarked,» so «it will be distributed among investments that are already in progress, mainly those related to the transformation of mobility in Logroño.»
«Of course, it will also address some issues in the personnel or health field, which are already logically planned and budgeted, in matters that are already being worked on and progressing.
He mentioned the Bretón Theater, the Glorieta del Doctor Zubía, Duquesa de la Victoria Street, or Sagasta Street. «I believe the clue is that Logroño is currently undergoing a transformation. We will continue to promote all kinds of interventions that will obviously be part of this financial effort. So all the projects we are currently developing will, in a way, benefit from this funding that we have received,» Conrado Escobar concluded.
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