The delegate of the Government of Spain in Aragón, Fernando Beltrán, today took stock of the impact of the action of the Central Executive in Aragón, in which he highlighted the support decided during 2024 to the large projects of the Autonomous Community, such as the battery giga-factory of Figueruelas, which has received about 300 million euros from the PERTE of the Ministry of Industry within the framework of the Recovery Plan. For Beltrán, “this historical combination of economic support and social policies allows to improve the lives of the Aragonese and create the necessary conditions for the great future projects in Aragón”.
“In a scenario of great international uncertainty, the Government of Spain has been able to weave agreements and generate a framework of stability conducive to making our country one of the most advanced economies in the world. Our economic policy works. We grow and continue to advance in the conquest of rights,” said the delegate.
Aragon has allocated until December 2024 a total of 2,303 million euros from the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, from which about 34,000 companies, institutions and citizens benefit (1,370 million from calls and tenders of the General Administration of the State and 933 allocated in sectoral conferences). “These funds are consolidating basic pillars such as health, housing and education, but above all they act as a transforming lever towards a more sustainable and competitive economy,” said Beltrán.
In this regard, Beltrán has stressed that the different strategic lines of the funds complement each other to reinforce Aragón’s leadership in sectors such as logistics and energy. Thus, 274 million euros are allocated to the railway (including 103.8 million to the Canfranc-Huesca line and 95.6 million to the Zaragoza Teruel-Sagunto line), 121.8 million to hydrogen projects (including 53 million from the Ver-Armonia project in Teruel and 28 million from the Green Hydrogen project in Magallón), 57.4 million to decarbonization (with SAICA as the main beneficiary, with 31.3 million) or 28.5 million for energy efficiency measures in municipalities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants.
Determined push to housing policy
The government delegate in Aragon has highlighted the effort of the Government of Spain to facilitate access to housing. “We consider housing to be the fifth pillar of the welfare state and we are committed to policies that are far from speculation. We believe in policies to build more housing, with better regulation and greater aid,” said Beltrán.
The central government has transferred 278 million euros to Aragon and has mobilized 1,036 homes since 2018. For example, Aragon has received about 30 million from the Recovery Plan to build 800 social rental homes. In addition, Aragón receives 12.4 million euros for neighborhood rehabilitation actions that benefit 700 homes.
A “historic” funding
Added to the boost of European funds and investments in housing is a “historic” financing from the State to Aragon, Beltrán stressed. Thus, in 2025, Aragon will receive the largest deliveries on account of its history, with 4,981 million euros, 9.1% more than in 2024. There are 417 million more for this concept. In total, including the liquidation of 2023, Aragon will receive in 2025 from the financing system 5,071 million euros. “In seven years of Pedro Sánchez’s government, Aragón receives 42.8% more resources than in the seven years of Mariano Rajoy. That’s 9,205 million more,” the delegate said.
“It is just as important to maintain public infrastructure and services as it is to give citizens support through social measures to tackle inequalities,” said Beltrán. In this regard, it highlights the revaluation of pensions, which has allowed the average pension in Aragón to stand at 1,520 euros per month, 359 euros more than in 2018, compared to the 18 euros that would have grown had the 2013 reform of the Government of Rajoy been maintained; the application of the Minimum Vital Income, which reaches more than 50,600 aragonese; or the electric social bonus, with 41,457 beneficiaries.
In addition, economic policy has made it possible to achieve historic figures in terms of job creation and quality. Specifically, Aragón closed 2024 with about 619,000 Social Security members, 51,000 more than in December 2018. The most notable leap has been in terms of undefined contracts, which reach 176,500 in the Community, which is 205% more than in 2019. “These figures, together with the increase in the Interprofessional Minimum Wage, which benefits 52,100 workers, are proof that, with progressive policies, it is possible to combine economic growth and improve people’s lives,” the delegate concluded.