The Government transfers 8 out of 10 euros from the Balearic Islands Recovery Plan for its decentralized management

Since 2021, the islands have received €1,313 million from the PRTR, of which more than €1 billion correspond to transfers agreed between the central and regional administrations, and €300 million from the Objective-EU funds.

Balears has received €1,313 million from the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR), since its launch in 2021, and, of this total, more than €1,000 million have been managed from the territory, through transfers agreed between the central and regional administrations. In addition, an additional €300 million has been distributed to the islands from the Reactive EU programme, bringing the bulk of Next Generation EU funds awarded to €1,613 million.

According to the latest update of the execution of European funds, corresponding to this month of January, the Government has transferred eight out of every 10 euros of the PRTR allocated to Balears to be managed directly by the Autonomous Community. Among the planned actions are 30 Tourist Sustainability Plans in Destination, with more than 153 M€, as well as 3 M€ for Ibiza, within the Heritage Cities Network program and another 100 M€ of the tourism program for extra-island territories.

In addition, 74 M€ have been allocated to Balears for the deployment of various energy rehabilitation programs in residential environments and another 24.6 M€ for the promotion of 752 homes destined for social rent. Another €25 million line has been used to finance sustainable mobility projects with regional competition, including the extension of the Palm-UIB-Parc Bit metro line.

Among the unique projects developed through direct awards implemented by the Autonomous Community are the € 26.5 million of the third edition of the Moves Plan, as well as a budget of more than € 43.3 million for self-consumption and storage of renewables, and a total of € 197 million from the chapter for the promotion of sustainable energy in island territories.

State projects

On the other hand, the General Administration of the State (AGE) has more than 9,400 actions in execution in Balears, for a global value of more than 263 M€. These figures include the 36 M€ distributed through the ‘Digital Kit’ to almost 7,600 companies and self-employed people in the archipelago. In addition, direct investments include the 28 M€ for 15 electricity generation facilities with renewable sources; the Unica Broadband program, with almost 8 M€; the 7.5 M€ in irrigation plans in Formentera, Porreres and Felanitx, or the 5.3 M€ for the rehabilitation of barracks and other facilities for the Civil Guard and the National Police in Palma, Inca, Ciutadella and Maó.

Projects of the PIREP plan for the rehabilitation of public buildings are also being implemented in 12 municipalities of the islands, for more than 14 M€ and seven programmes to support trade in tourist areas, with a state investment of 4.3 M€. In addition, within the development plan of Low Emission Zones in the municipalities of Ibiza and Palma, with a total of 35.1 million euros, the 32.7 million that the latter receives stands out to, among other actions, buy electric buses, expand the cycling network, extend pedestrianisation to new streets of the city or buy electric waste collection trucks.

Improve people's lives

The government delegate, Alfonso Rodríguez Badal, has assured that these figures corroborate “the commitment of the Executive to improve people’s lives.” “Every action and every agreement of the Council of Ministers aims to make the daily life of citizenship easier,” said Rodríguez Badal, who stressed the importance of labor reform to create “more jobs and more dignified employment.” Since 2019, the last year prior to said reform that was not marked by the Covid 19 pandemic, there has been 227% more indefinite hiring on the islands. The delegate also referred to the increase in pensions, which places the average in Balears at 1,311 euros per month, and the 19 M€ allocated by the State to educational scholarships in the last year in Balears. He also pointed out the extension of free public transport by 2024, with a budget of 43 M€, or the Minimum Vital Income (IMV), which is already close to the 26,000 beneficiaries in the archipelago, as two other examples “of the commitment of the Government of Spain to those who most need the support of the public and the will to correct the inequalities within our society”.