Historic agreement for the budgets of the Generalitat
After intense negotiations, an agreement has been reached between the ERC and the PSC parties for the approval of the Generalitat’s budgets for the year 2024. This pact reissues the previous year’s agreement and it is expected that the Republicans will also obtain approval. of En Comú Podem, which would be necessary to gain a majority.
Changes in negotiation dynamics
In contrast to last year, this time it will be the purple ones that close the majority. However, this process will not be easy, since one of its conditions is the lifting of the veto on the Hard Rock leisure complex, a request raised by the socialists as a condition for approving the accounts of the Government of Pere Aragonès.
Agreement details and priorities
The pact agreed upon by the Government and PSC focuses on four priorities of the socialists: education, housing, security and water management policies. An increase of 2,400 million euros is expected, an increase of 6.3%, which would include some 1,040 allocated to infrastructure and aid to combat drought.
In educational matters, the budget contemplates an increase of 10% compared to the previous year, with items intended to offer more resources for inclusive education, equalize salaries of the concerted and public education, and measures arising from the Group to Promote Educational Improvements.
In addition, the creation of 25 new judicial units has been agreed to decongest the courts, the continuity in the expansion of Mossos d’Esquadra agents, and policies to combat drought, among other measures.
Omission of previous projects
In contrast to previous budgets, on this occasion there is no mention of projects such as the Hard Rock casino, the transformation of the Prat Airport, or the completion of the B-40 highway in the agreed document. However, it has been ensured that these projects continue their course.
Next steps
An extraordinary Executive Council is expected to be held on Wednesday to approve the budgets and submit them to Parliament. If approved, they could come into force in April, according to executive estimates.
This agreement strengthens ties between the parties, and is expected to have effects on the central government’s accounts. Furthermore, both groups have recently been involved in the thawing of their relations in Barcelona City Council.
If President Pere Aragonès achieves the parliamentary majority for the accounts, they will be the third in a row that he has carried out, which would give his Executive an almost definitive oxygen boost to complete the legislature.
