So far, of the big questions about the 2024 budgets, the Government only has the accompanying law practically ready and the approval of the spending ceiling: 36.7 billion euros, 3 billion more than those of 2023. The political pacts with parliamentary groups have not been signed, negotiations have only just started, and not even the Catalan Executive has approved its own accounts, a preliminary step to take them to Parliament for final endorsement. In fact, Patrícia Plaja, spokesperson for the Government, assured this afternoon that the ministries are still “shaping” their numbers. With the new budgets in the making, Pere Aragonès today signed the decree law so that the 2023 numbers are extended from January 1.
The signature is mandatory and is accompanied by the approval of another decree to authorize debt operations, so that the Generalitat and public entities can meet the amortizations that come due during the year 2024.
The last time the Catalan budgets came into force on the first day of January was 2022. On that occasion, Junts coexisted in the Palau de la Generalitat with ERC and the Minister of Economy at the time, Jaume Giró, in the post-convergent ranks, was in charge of the elaboration of the numbers. In any case, Plaja has stressed after the ordinary meeting of the Consell Executiu that he hopes that the extension of the current ones “will be extended only a few weeks.” The next meeting of the Government council will be on Wednesday, January 3, so the Government will not approve the accounts before the end of this year.
The Government’s will is for the Parliament to endorse the budgets with maximum support,” the spokesperson expressed. First, the Government wants to approve them internally with the approval of the parties that support the accounts. But so far only the PSC shows a certain predisposition to study them intensively. The commons have hardened their position due to the possible approval of the macroproject of the recreational complex in Vila-Seca (known as Hard Rock), despite the fact that ERC and the Government have reiterated that this is an issue that is still pending technical feasibility reports and that “it will not cost Catalan citizens a single euro.” Pediatric care also sets back those of Jéssica Albiach. Junts and the CUP, a priori, seem more reluctant to the pact.
Plaja did not want to detail if there are obstacles in the negotiations. “We are in the process of negotiation and a balance must be found between the parties,” which is why, as she has reasoned, “there cannot be red lines.” According to the spokesperson. The different parties have agreed to engage in talks “discreetly.”
For the 2023 accounts there were sine qua non conditions. Above all, the PSC, which put on the table the resolution of the Hard Rock project – a red line for the commoners – and the Vallès ring road – the B-40 road layout that would have to improve the connection between Terrassa and Sabadell. and Castellar- and the modernization of the Prat airport. They remain unresolved, although Plaja has recalled that in the case of the highway, it is Moncloa that has to “formalize the agreement” and present a proposed agreement. And with regard to the airport, it is the Government that is also responsible for convening “the improvement commission.”