The idea of ​​canceling debt to Catalonia arouses misgivings in the Autonomous Communities of the PSOE and the PP, who ask that there be no grievances

Catalonia has received a third of this year's FLA and remains one of the most indebted communities

The proposal that the central government assume part of the debt of the Autonomous Liquidity Fund (FLA) of Catalonia in exchange for possible support from the pro-independence parties for the investiture of Pedro Sánchez has provoked the suspicion of several autonomous communities of different sign, which They have warned of possible "perks" and demand that there be no grievances in the reform of the regional financing system.

The acting Minister of Finance and 'number two' of the PSOE, María Jesús Montero, acknowledged this Monday that there was the possibility that some pro-independence groups could raise this issue in the negotiation, although she saw it as "hasty" to speak of this scenario at this time. .

NOT STILL ON THE TABLE, SAYS THE GOVERNMENT

"It is right now to anticipate a debate that is not yet on the table," added María Jesús Montero on this issue, who in turn opted to reform the regional financing system in the next legislature.

In this context, several regional executives have raised their voices on Tuesday against this idea of ​​canceling part of the debt to Catalonia, among them the acting president of Aragon, the socialist Javier Lambán, who believes that the Government should assume a reduction of this regional debt "without further grievances between communities".

The still socialist president in Aragon believes that this cancellation would have to be considered on the whole of the regional debt, not only that of the FLA and "exactly the same for all communities, with the same percentage."

THOSE OF THE PP WARN OF PREBENDES

For its part, from the Junta de Andalucía, governed by the 'popular' Juanma Moreno, they have warned of possible "new perks" that the PSOE offers to pro-independence parties within the framework of this possible reform of the regional financing system.

And from the most indebted community, the Valencian Community, the new president Carlos Mazón has rejected that the new regional financing model be negotiated "in the dark room of separatism" and has already demanded "compensation" for the situation of "exceptionality" that has multiplied the region's debt after being "unfairly and soporificantly the worst treated" by this system.

Another of the communities led by the PP, the Xunta de Galicia has shown "concern" that the Government can carry out this possible debt forgiveness, which it considers would be an "inequitable" measure.

In the case of Madrid, from the Executive led by Isabel Díaz Ayuso they ask that the debt of Catalonia not be forgiven, warning that the acting head of the Executive, Pedro Sánchez, is "willing to any mechanism to continue in La Moncloa".

"It would be sending a very serious signal to the market about the solvency that a certain Spanish administration may have in meeting its obligations, especially in terms of debt," they say.

MORE THAN 24,000 MILLION SO FAR THIS YEAR

In this context, Catalonia is the autonomous community, of those that are attached to the Financing Fund, that has received the most money of the 24,126.9 million euros that the Government has allocated in 2023 from this fund.

Specifically, the Catalan community totals 8,713 million euros in the distribution of the three quarters of 2023, which represents slightly more than a third of the total.

The Financing Fund is divided into two compartments: the Financial Facility, in which only Andalusia is included, and the Autonomous Liquidity Fund, known as FLA, and to which the rest of the autonomous communities are attached.

The Autonomous Liquidity Fund, FLA, was created by the Executive in 2012 during the economic crisis and, through it, the Government grants money to the affiliated autonomous communities so that they do not have to finance their debt in the markets.

Regarding debt, Catalonia remains one of the most indebted communities, with a total of 85,456 million euros, according to the latest data from the Bank of Spain. This translates into a debt of 33% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).