The delegate of the Government of Spain in Aragon, Fernando Beltrán, today presented the report Complying with the accountability of the Executive from the investiture in November 2023 to June 30, 2024 in which he highlighted the “record” commitment of investments of the Government of Spain in Aragon and with the social policies that have allowed to improve the life of the Aragonese and guarantee their well-being.
“A year ago, the Spanish elected a progressive government and said yes to rights, advances, freedom and equality. A year later, we can say that Spain is a better country and that it is going in the right direction. And, most importantly, we can say that Aragón has a historical support from the Government of Spain: in investments, in financing and in support of strategic projects”, explained the delegate.
This commitment is materialized in that Aragon has been allocated 932.6 million euros of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan for housing projects, sustainable mobility, promotion of renewables, restoration of ecosystems, renovation of public buildings, education and VET, inclusion and social services, among others.
Beltrán has detailed that the General Administration of the State has resolved for Aragón 1.226 billion of the Plan and there are 266.7 million euros allocated in OBJECTIVE-EU funds.
In total, there are about 26,000 companies, institutions and citizens benefiting from Next Generation European funds and 38 flagship projects are being developed, among which are:
- The new Stellantis battery gigafactory in Figueruelas, which will receive funds for the battery assembly line and for the manufacture of electric vehicles €115.1 million
- The Ver-Amonia Green Ammonia Production Project in Andorra, with 53 million investment.
- Endesa’s 7.2 MW electrolyser in Magallón
- Or the underground laboratory of Canfranc 3.7 million
Beltrán has highlighted the good direction and rhythm of the Spanish economy that has its reflection in the Aragonese. He explained that the revaluation of pensions, the increase in the SMI, the increase in the Minimum Vital Income or the increase in the remuneration of public employees by 2% by 2024 —to which an additional 0.5% is added by the rise in nominal GDP in 2023—, among other measures, have contributed to maintaining the purchasing power of the citizens during the inflationary period that he remits now.
In addition, economic policy has made it possible to achieve historic figures in terms of job creation and quality. Specifically, Aragón ended the month of June 2024 with 450,600 people with indefinite contracts, according to the Labour Force Survey, which represents an increase of 8.6% in indefinite hiring compared to the quarter before the entry into force of the Labour Reform. In addition, the number of Social Security members has grown: 630.087 in June 2024
On the other hand, Aragón has received 4,563.7 million euros in account deliveries and 843.2 million euros in the annual distribution of extraordinary liquidity mechanisms to strengthen the welfare state
Green and digital society and just transition
All these advances have been made by betting on a green and digital socio-economic modernization. In this regard, the delegate highlighted, on the one hand, the decisive support for the primary sector: with 53.8 million in extraordinary aid for the war in Ukraine and the drought so that farmers and ranchers can face the increase in costs. In addition, there have been 110 million agreements for the modernization of irrigation and enhancement of the sustainable use of water resources.
On the other hand, he recalled the progress towards the just ecological transition with investments to digitize the water cycle (16.9 million), thermal and electrical generation (2.7 million), self-consumption and storage (17.2 million) and the circular economy (15.8 million).
Powerful social umbrella
“European economic policies and funds are helping to create wealth at a pace and with stability that we did not remember in this country. And this is being done by thinking and counting on people. No one is left behind,” said Beltrán.
This social umbrella includes about 36 million for care policy, 40 million for dependency, 3.1 million for child poverty, 3.6 million for social services of local entities, almost 14 million for mental health, oral health, cancer surveillance, ALS or rare diseases and important investments in education: 606 public and free places are going to be created for the first cycle of Infantile (1,700 from the beginning of the PRTR), 1,500 FP (6,000 from the beginning of the Recovery Plan).
In addition, almost 284,000 Aragonese have seen their pensions revalued; 47,300 receive the Minimum Vital Income, and 44,766 benefit from the electric social bond.
In terms of equality, 22,402 women who have received a maternity supplement in their pension; 22,400 Aragonese women have benefited from the supplement to reduce the gender gap in pensions and 10.5 million euros have been allocated to facilitate conciliation.
“In addition, we are dedicating all our efforts to making all women feel safe. The fight against gender violence is a matter of State to which this year the Government of Spain has allocated 7.5 million to Aragon,” said Beltrán.
Facilitate access to housing
This Government understands that the fifth pillar of the welfare state is the right to housing. “We are committed to realizing the constitutional right to decent housing. For this reason, we have allocated 14 million for rental aid and an increase in the public housing stock and 12.5 million for housing rehabilitation. Since the start of the Recovery Plan in 2021, Aragon has received 29 million to build 810 housing,” explained the delegate.
Infrastructure
Another of the basic axes of the Government in these eight months has been to strengthen territorial cohesion and improve infrastructures. The projects include:
- 68 million euros for the execution of the works of the A-21 motorway between Sigües and Tiermas, stretch located in the province of Zaragoza with a length of 6.6 km that gives continuity to the stretch of 72.6 km of this motorway between Pamplona and the provincial limit with Huesca. It is an orographically complex stretch, so it has been necessary to build two tunnels, a false tunnel and two viaducts.
- 6.4 million euros for the humanization of the avenue of Sagunto de Teruel in order to promote a more sustainable, inclusive and accessible urban environment.
- EUR 34.4 million has been allocated for the electrification of the Zaragoza/Teruel-Sagunto line (311 km) for the construction of the Cariñena and Villafranca power substations, the high-voltage overhead line and its self-transformation centres.
- 42, 9 million in the improvement of the Zaragoza–Tarragona corridor
- 31.8 million euros to tender for the renewal and integral improvement of the Zaragoza–Huesca–Canfranc line.