Redaccion
The national deputy of Coalición Canaria made a visit to the Palmera Institution to review the matters of interest for the Island.
The president of the Cabildo de La Palma, Sergio Rodríguez, and the deputy of Coalición Canaria in the Congress of Deputies, Cristina Valido, held an official meeting today to analyze in detail the state of the issues related to the island’s recovery being worked on at the national level.
During the meeting, various topics of crucial importance for La Palma were addressed, with special attention to the economic commitments acquired by the central government, including the 60% of the reconstruction cost and the 100 million euros allocated for this purpose. Both the island president and the national deputy lamented the attempts to cast doubt on the existence of these commitments, recalling that their materialization has been hindered by the non-approval of the General State Budgets.
The president of the Cabildo urged deputy Valido to redouble efforts so that both measures, considered fundamental for the island’s recovery after the volcanic eruption, are implemented as soon as possible. In this sense, Cristina Valido reaffirmed her commitment and assured that she hopes that the 60% decree can be submitted to Congress between the months of May and June, retroactively, as agreed in the Canarian Agenda signed with President Sánchez for his investiture.
The agenda also includes the 100 million euros per year for reconstruction, corresponding to the years 2024 and 2025, whose arrival remains a priority.
It was also highlighted the need to extend other measures that have been very useful for different sectors of the island, such as those related to the primary sector, companies, and mortgage extensions, given the delicate economic situation that La Palma still faces.
Both the island president and the deputy coincided in pointing out the real lack of commitment they perceive in the current central government towards the specific needs of La Palma. In this context, they emphasized the urgency of addressing the island’s situation as a priority, with the exception of fiscal rules to be able to use own surpluses to boost reconstruction, in view of the debt of approximately 40 million euros that the State still maintains with La Palma.
Sergio Rodríguez publicly thanked Cristina Valido for her strong commitment to La Palma, highlighting her role as the «executive arm» of the island’s demands in Madrid, whose work is essential to mitigate the effects of the lack of support from the central government. In his words, «if we had more deputies like Cristina in Congress, undoubtedly everything would run smoother and things would be easier both in the Canary Islands and, especially, on the island of La Palma.»
For her part, Cristina Valido, the only deputy of Coalición Canaria in Congress and representative of all the Islands, reiterated that La Palma occupies the first page of the Canarian Agenda agreed upon for Pedro Sánchez’s investiture. In this regard, she announced that efforts are being intensified at the Ministry of Finance to request the exception in fiscal measures, as requested by the Plenary of the Cabildo, which would allow the use of savings from each institution to boost the island’s recovery, pending the arrival of the funds committed by Madrid.
Valido also reported on the request for an aid for cessation of activity for those who, having started to recover their farms, still do not obtain immediate returns, a proposal endorsed even by the Ombudsman.
Both public officials committed to continue working in a coordinated and demanding manner to ensure that La Palma receives the attention and resources it needs for its complete recovery and future development.
