The Minister of Economy of the Generalitat, Natàlia Mas, assured this morning that Catalonia’s fiscal deficit with the central State rose to 21,982 million euros in 2021, the equivalent of 9.6% of GDP. The fiscal deficit is the difference between what Catalan taxpayers earn to the State via taxes or contributions and the benefits they receive via investments, benefits or spending.
In 2021, Catalonia contributed 19.2% of all community income, but State spending in Catalonia was equivalent to 13.6% of all of Spain. That gap is the aforementioned deficit of almost 22,000 million. But he did not want to specify what amount would be enough to compensate Catalonia. If the community received everything it contributes, the less developed communities would not receive extra resources.
“Catalonia requires a bilateral agreement that leads to an improvement in the financing system,” the councilor reflected. The Generalitat’s calculations on what it would mean for Catalonia to have a bilateral model like the Basque quota would mean receiving 22.4 billion more. It is an amount greater than the fiscal deficit.
The deficit published today is an estimate since the Ministry of Finance directed by María Jesús Montero has not detailed the figures since 2018. The publication of the data coincides with the negotiations that the Catalan parties are continuing with Pedro Sánchez to facilitate his inauguration as president . On that issue, Mas did not want to make any statements.
In relation to the fiscal policy followed by the Generalitat after several communities have lowered taxes, Mas has recognized that “despite the fact that Catalonia remains under high pressures, we are not in the highest brackets” and has insisted that the majority of taxpayers They pay little in inheritance tax.
