The Minister of Finance contradicts Echenique and assures that UP knew about the increase in defense spending

Robles also underlines that all the ministers of the Executive were informed of the budget content

MADRID, 5 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero, has assured that United We Can was aware of the increase in defense spending and, in this way, contradicts the spokesman for United We Can, Pablo Echenique, who yesterday criticized the "disloyalty" of the PSOE by arguing that they they hid that increase

"Obviously, do you really think that with the current situation that this issue had, those who sit down to negotiate are not going to ask how that game behaves?" his partner undertook a "unilateral" increase in military spending and that it was a "shame".

Of course, the head of the Treasury does not know if specifically Echenique had specific information on investment in Defense and that she does not know how United We Can internally managed this issue, to insist that the negotiators requested information in this regard.

Therefore, it has ruled that to think that United We Can did not have data on the new public accounts in Defense is to "underestimate" the capacity of the negotiating team that appoints the confederal space itself.

On the other hand, and regarding the 25% rise in the amount for the Armed Forces, Montero explained that a relevant part of that amount does not compete with the rest of the budgeted expenditure, as it does not count against the financial expenditure limit.

A technical aspect when configured as resources for what are known as special defense plans. And it is that he has detailed that, as is the case with regional financing, they are items that if they are not used for said programs, they can be used for something else.

"If we compute the expenses that compete with other ministries, Defense is well below Social Rights, which grows almost 18%, and Equality about 14%," he settled.

Meanwhile, the head of Defense, Margarita Robles, has also detailed to the media in the Lower House that "there is no controversy" with military spending and that the new public accounts are budgets of "fundamental social scope", and that They highlight that in security, the commitment assumed with the President of the Government with NATO to reach up to 2% of investment over GDP in 2029 is fulfilled.

Regarding this controversy, socialist sources express their discomfort at this artificial controversy generated by the spokesperson for the confederal group and insist, like the two ministers, that Podemos was aware of the situation of defense spending through its negotiating team, of which the secretary of State, Nacho Alvarez.

Therefore, they interpret that this complaint is not directed so much at the socialist side but rather as an internal criticism of their own negotiating team.

Meanwhile, sources from the purple formation maintain that one thing is the agreement to remove Defense from budget spending and another is the detail of the increase in extraordinary credits, maintaining that this matter was not addressed within the budget negotiation.

However, other sources in the confederal space emphasize that they were aware that the Socialists could resort to this route related to contingency funds to financially endow the special plans related to the Armed Forces.