Politics

The Catalan Government will allow universal access to community health centres, despite the Spanish Government’s decision. Autonomous Communities are those managing the public healthcare system. After announcing that immigrants would not be able to access the service without contributing to the Social Security system, the Spanish Government is now preparing formulas allowing them to continue accessing the public healthcare system if they pay the fee. The Spanish Health, Social Services and Equality has confirmed that foreign people less than 65 years old will pay €710 per year and those older will pay €1,860. Access will be free in emergencies as well as for pregnant women and minors.

The Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, has announced further budget cuts for 2013 and 2014, totalling an additional €89.1 billion. These budget cuts are to be added to those implemented between 2010 and 2012. Autonomous Communities will have to cut their budget by an additional €19 billion in 2013 and 2014, which is added to the €15 billion already announced in Spring affecting education and healthcare. However, no details of the €19 billion plan were provided. Rajoy stated that in 2014 the Spanish economy will grow by 1.2%, leaving the recession behind. With this plan, Spain’s public deficit for 2013 will be set at 4.5% and at 2.8% for 2014.

The Catalan Social Affairs Minister, Josep Lluís Cleries, stated before the Catalan Parliament that €70 million had not been paid on time to health and social care organisations this August. He said he was sorry for the situation but underlined that the €50 million destined for private citizens had been paid. The Catalan Finance Minister, Andreu Mas-Colell, emphasised that, if the Spanish Government does not activate the Liquidity Fund for the Autonomous Communities and similar measures, he cannot guarantee the situation will not be repeated in the future. However, he said to be confident the Spanish Government will put these mechanisms in place soon. The Left-Wing opposition parties had requested the urgent hearings.

The Catalan Minister for Territory and Sustainability, Lluís Recoder, has emphasised that “not attending a meeting as a protest does not mean not honouring the agreements”. Recoder was answering the Spanish Finance Minister, Cristóbal Montoro, who emphasised that all the Autonomies are obliged to meet the deficit and debt targets. Recoder said that Montoro’s words were not appropriate and unfair, since Catalonia has been leading austerity reforms and budget cuts in Spain.

Andalusia quits the meeting after one hour. For the first time in democracy, the Catalan Finance Minister did not attend the Fiscal and Financial Policy Council (CPFF), where the Autonomous Community governments and the Spanish Executive discuss the regions’ financial situation and funding. Catalonia refused to attend the CPFF as decisions were taken beforehand by the People’s Party, which runs the Spanish Government and most of the Autonomies for which CPFF decisions are binding. In addition, the Catalan Finance Minister refused to attend the meeting due to Spanish Government’s unilateral decision to oblige the Autonomies to meet a stricter deficit target in 2013, passing from the planned 1.1% to 0.7%. He sent a letter asking for the same flexibility the European Union is giving to Spain.

According to the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, if Catalonia continued contributing to Spain’s fiscal redistribution scheme but it did so to a lesser extent, Catalan public finances would have no deficit and Catalonia’s public debt would be much smaller. The Chamber reminded that Catalonia is giving 8.6% of its GDP each year to the rest of Spain in terms of solidarity, an amount that has no other equivalent in Europe. In addition, the Chamber emphasised that this contribution is “excessive” as basic services and infrastructures in Catalonia are not properly funded.

Catalan political parties, business associations, and many citizens are outraged by the decision to increase toll prices in Catalonia, while in the rest of Spain there are many toll-free highways. The Catalan Transport Minister asked the Spanish Government to implement a “soft toll” throughout Spain, instead of increasing toll prices in Catalonia. He reminded that for some journeys within Catalonia, there are no free of charge alternatives to the tolled highways. Catalan nationalists see this measure as a new proof of Catalonia’s high fiscal deficit, paying much more to the rest of Spain than what it gets in return. The People’s Party (PP), running the Spanish Executive, asked the Catalan Government to reduce the price of its tolls.

The Minister for the Economy, Andreu Mas-Colell, warned the Spanish government that the Generalitat "will never accept political conditions" in exchange for capital from the Regional Liquidity Fund (FLA). He repeated the phrase three times after revealing that the Catalan government has accepted financing from the FLA and has so far employed “all available instruments of liquidity” but “only” those that are linked to exclusively economic conditions. The minister admitted that the Catalan government will welcome the FLA due to “the liquidity pressures” that the Generalitat is facing. The specific amount of funding has not been revealed but Mas-Colell assured that “it will be what is necessary.”

Catalan Parliament approved on Wednesday the proposal for a new fiscal pact for Catalonia by an overall majority. The proposal defends the creation of an independent tax agency with powers to raise and manage all taxes in Catalonia. According to the Catalan President, Artur Mas, it involves starting a “difficult” negotiation with the government of Spain but it was either “now or never”. If achieved, this new fiscal arrangement would be similar to the one enjoyed by the Basque Country, that collects its own taxes and has been able to keep its debt under control. Therefore, it could help Catalonia getting out of the crisis. Currently, out of the all the territories, Catalonia is ranked third for the amount it pays in taxes, but is ranked tenth for the amount it receives in return. The new arrangement would see Catalonia leaving the common system established by the Organic Law on the Financing of the Autonomous Communities (LOFCA) and establishing bilateral fiscal relationships with Spain.

Catalonia has not asked for a rescue from Spain, said the spokesman of the Catalan government, Francesc Homs. At a press conference, Homs denied reports that Catalonia is seeking a full bail-out, but admitted the government is considering participating in the Regional Liquidity Fund. “This is a treasury mechanism”, said Homs, who added that by using the fund Catalonia would not have to meet “any new set of conditions”. When presenting the €18bn fund last week, the Spanish government said the aid will be only offered under “strict conditionality”.

The Spanish Economy minister said on Monday that the state will “absolutely not” require a full rescue package such as the one taken by Greece, Ireland or Portugal. Speaking at a parliamentary hearing, De Guindos said that the Spanish economy is competitive and has “capacity to grow” unlike other struggling European countries. However, markets seem unconvinced by Luis de Guindo’s remarks, pushing the ten-year Spanish bond yields to more than 7.5%. Doubts about the autonomous communities financing capacity are also affecting the situation, especially after Valencia announced that it will ask for about 3,500 million euros from the Spanish Liquidity Fund. Catalonia, the most indebted community in Spain, is still considering whether to use the money from the fund, and will only decide after studying “the set of conditions” attached to it.

The Spanish Congress has ratified a new austerity package this Thursday with 180 votes from People’s Party (PP), 131 votes against made up by the other parties and one abstention from the Unión del Pueblo Navarro (UPN). The new measures include the suspension of the Christmas bonus for public sector officials, an increase in VAT, and a reduction in unemployment benefit after the sixth month. The Spanish finance minister, Cristóbal Montoro, defended the measures on the grounds that they are "necessary sacrifices" to enable economic recovery and that "giving up is not recommended or possible". Various groups have protested against the measures, with over 80 demonstrations across the country.

The Catalan President in a parliamentary session criticised what he considers to be “acts of disloyalty” by the Spanish government. He said it is unfair that regions have to assume most of the burden of Mariano Rajoy’s adjustment program and emphasised the fact that Madrid has yet to pay much of its debts to Catalonia. Mas accused Rajoy of “lacking respect” for the autonomous regions and said this could lead to a “break down of relations” between administrations.

The Spanish vice president, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, said the fund is an “extraordinary mechanism” that will force regions that use it to comply with “extraordinary conditions”. The money will come from a €6,000 million loan from the state lottery and the Spanish treasury. The autonomous communities that decide to use the money from the fund will have the responsibility of paying it back and will be subject to a potential intervention by the central government if they do not comply.

The Catalan minister for the Economy, Andreu Mas-Colell, said in an interview that he will ask to speak directly to Brussels if Madrid decides to intervene in Catalonia’s finances. The minister is very disappointed with the results of a meeting between the 17 autonomous communities and the Spanish Minister Cristóbal Montoro. At the summit, Montoro announced a new cut in the regional deficit targets, from 1,1% to 0,5% for 2013 and from 1% to only 0,1% the year after. This could imply a new adjustment of about €650 million on top of the 1,500 million already announced by Catalan President Artur Mas only two months ago. The Catalan government spokesman, Francesc Homs, did not deny the possibility of new cuts in Catalonia in the near future. If they are confirmed, those would be the fourth round of spending cuts implemented in the country since Mas entered office in November 2010. Meanwhile, other autonomous communities still have to start to reduce spending.