Sánchez specifies that defense spending will be increased, which will be agreed with Podemos and sees Díaz "loyal" to the Government

MADRID, 1 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, insists that defense spending will increase in the next General State Budgets and anticipates that there will be negotiation and agreement with Podemos. In fact, he assures, about the second vice president of the Government, Yolanda Díaz, that she has denied that this increase has been included in the spending ceiling, that she is being "loyal to the line of argument" of the Executive.

This is how Sánchez responded today during an interview on Cadena Ser collected by Europa Press, when asked if, as Yolanda Díaz says, an increase in defense spending has not been contemplated in the 2023 Budgets.

"There will be," exclaimed the chief executive who has justified it by the current war context that, he says, puts into the equation the need to help "dissuade" Russia from its claims in Europe. But he immediately clarifies that it is not only about "dissuasion", but also about complying with European and Atlantic and economic and business commitments.

In addition, he recalled that his Government has raised the salary of the military, which had not been updated since 2005. "The families of the soldiers and the troops surely know it," he added.

According to Sánchez, there are 100,000 qualified jobs spread throughout Spain and he has cited Albacete, Euskadi, Ferrol, Cartagena or Cádiz. That is to say, of "an industry deployed throughout the territory", in which there is also investment in cybersecurity, in companies that, for example, work from Malaga.

For this reason, and regarding the increase in the Defense Budget, he has said that "in the end it will be a dialogue, a negotiation, and there will be an agreement". He has recalled, in this sense, that they have 153 seats and they have to reach 176.

"It would be easier if we had the PP in common sense policies," he lamented, but admitted that "since that doesn't happen" he is forced to agree with other political forces.

In fact, and when asked with whom he is going to carry out the General State Budgets, he replied that with the groups that "have been repeatedly supporting" the Government's initiatives. "I do not discover America", he has added.

As for whether the second vice president of the Government and he say different things and if she speaks on behalf of her formation and not of the entire Executive, Pedro Sánchez has defended that she "is being loyal to the line of argument of the Government of Spain".

"I feel comfortable with his work, I recognize his worth and this coalition experience, the first in 40 years," continued Pedro Sánchez, stressing that his coalition government has managed to carry out a labor reform that "has restored stability to many people ". What in his opinion is a "milestone that will remain in this coalition government."