Minister Calls for Verification of Fund Allocations for La Palma Reconstruction
Request for Accountability
The Minister of Territorial Policy, Ángel Víctor Torres, has urged those claiming that €200 million are missing to refer to the ‘Canarian Agenda’ signed in the summer of 2023, where it is evident that “those €100 million” annually do not appear.
On Friday, Torres emphasised the importance of verifying the signed agreements regarding the reconstruction of La Palma after the volcanic eruption. He called on critics to check who is fulfilling their commitments and who is not, following complaints from local institutional leaders about the government’s failure to transfer the asserted €200 million.
Clarifying Fund Allocation
“What has been signed can be easily verified. To ascertain if the claims are valid, we encourage checking the signed documents,” Torres stated to the media on the fourth anniversary of the eruption of Tajogaite, which lasted 85 days and devastated hundreds of homes and properties in the Valle de Aridane.
In a statement made in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria during a visit to the Foreigners’ Offices, Torres, who was President of the Canary Islands during the eruption, invited those asserting the lack of €200 million to consult the ‘Canarian Agenda’ of summer 2023, reiterating that “those €100 million” do not appear therein.
He clarified that there was a provision of €100 million integrated into the national budget for 2023 via an amendment, which has been disbursed, despite the lack of subsequent signature for the annual payments currently being demanded from the state.
Continued Government Support
However, he emphasised that “this does not mean the Spanish government is unwilling to sit down with the Canary Islands Government and the Cabildo of La Palma for necessary improvements,” aiming to “agree on the relevant mechanisms.”
The Minister stressed the need for clarity and cautioned against giving false hopes, as the Canarian Agenda does indeed include a 60% tax relief on income tax for 2025, 2026, and 2027 for La Palma.
“Rest assured, we will implement this as we have signed it,” he added, noting that the enactment will be through a royal decree.
Torres defended that the government will “continue to support” farmers affected by the eruption, who have received mortgage payment moratoriums, and highlighted that “there has been a significant economic injection from the Ministry of Luis Planas.”
Moving Forward Together
Thus, he advocated for continuing to advance in La Palma’s reconstruction “in the spirit of institutional loyalty and mutual collaboration.”
Furthermore, he announced that in two weeks, a mixed commission will reconvene “to discuss the status of agreements, the progress of actions from various administrations, the contributions required in areas of difficulty, and to identify who is delivering on the commitments made and who is not.”
For Torres, this 19th of September marks “a painful anniversary,” representing a day to stand “with the people of La Palma and their sentiments, particularly with those who have lost cherished memories and belongings.”
Comparing the current situation in La Palma to that of 2021, prior to the eruption, the Minister highlighted that the island now has an additional hundred businesses, unemployment stands at 12%, down from over 20%, and its economy has improved “by almost two percentage points above the average, with the highest number of Social Security affiliates ever.”
This indicates that the community of La Palma “is thriving thanks to public contributions,” and in that context, “the Spanish government has contributed more than €1.1 billion to the island,” he concluded.
