The Government of Spain continues to deploy in Navarre the investments foreseen in the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. So far, the General Administration of the State has launched in the Foral Community more than 5,100 projects worth 443 million euros. Added to these are the funds managed by the Government of Navarre through transfers in sectoral conferences, agreements, grants and direct concessions agreed between the two executives, amounting to 543 million. In this way, Navarre has allocated 986 million from the Plan of Recovery, Transformation and Resilience, and another 148 million from the OBJECTIVE-EU mechanism.
This has been explained by the Government delegate in Navarra, who has taken stock of the socio-economic management of the central executive in the Foral Community during the past year. Alicia Echeverría has defended that the policies of the Government of Spain are benefiting the entire citizenry and “are making Navarre advance in modernity, in sustainability, in equality, in cohesion, in rights.” “Our commitment is to continue taking steps towards a fairer, more cohesive country, with greater and better opportunities for all,” added the Government delegate.
Echeverría has been convinced that throughout the new legislature, progress will continue to be made on issues of interest to Navarre, such as the infrastructures financed by the State or the transfer of competences requested by the foral government. “It will be a productive and profitable time for our land,” he said.
Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan Figures
As a dynamizing element of the economy, the government delegate has referred to the modernizing impact of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, “which is something we are seeing almost every day,” she said.
Alicia Echeverría has pointed out that Navarre has allocated 1,134 million euros since 2021 and until December 2023. As for the projects implemented by the General Administration of the State, it has highlighted investments such as 48 million euros for the strengthening of infrastructures; 13 million for the extension of broadband in the territory; or 19 million euros for the sustainable urban development of small municipalities.
He also highlighted the important role of Navarre in three strategic projects for economic recovery and transformation (PERTE) such as the Agri-Food PERTE, the Renewable Energy, Renewable Hydrogen and Storage (ERHA), and the Electric and Connected Vehicle (VEC).
He also referred to some of the funds directly managed by Navarre, such as destination tourism sustainability plans (74 million euros), aid for self-consumption and energy storage (45.5 million euros), the implementation of low-emission zones (33 million euros) or the construction of social rental housing (13.8 million euros).
The impact of social policies
The government delegate has broken down the impact on Navarre of some of the social and economic measures developed by the central executive. Regarding the Minimum Vital Income, aimed at promoting the social and employment inclusion of people in vulnerable situations, he pointed out that the number of beneficiaries in Navarre amounts to 22,566, of which 12,290 are adults and the rest, 10,276, minors.
Regarding the employment situation and the impact of labor reform, Echeverría has stressed that the number of indefinite contracts has grown by 159 percent between 2019 and 2024, from 25,602 to 66,442 last year. At the same time, Social Security membership grows by 23,107 people compared to December 2018. The number of members arrived in Navarre last month at 305,749 people.
Regarding pensions, the delegate of the Government has pointed out that the average pension has increased in the Foral Community by 342 euros since 2018, from 1,256 to 1,598 euros. The revaluation of pensions has benefited the 143,570 people who receive a contributory pension in Navarre, most of which -99.001 - corresponds to retirement pensions.
Echeverría has also highlighted the impact of the scholarships of the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports. In the academic year 2022/23 the 10.4 million euros were reached that reached a total of 5,807 people between university scholarships (2,050) and non-university scholarships (3,757).
Regarding the measures of the anti-crisis package, he pointed out that until January 1, RENFE has issued 4,446 medium-distance subscriptions in Navarre. In addition, the electric social bond benefits 21,093 people in the Foral Community.
Finally, the government delegate referred to the Young Cultural Bonus, which last year reached 5,103 applications among those who reached the age of majority in 2023. This accounts for 73.63 percent of potential beneficiaries.
Advances in self-governance
Finally, Alicia Echeverría highlighted the advances in self-government, and recalled that last year the transfer of competences in the field of Traffic and Road Safety was signed. In addition, he has indicated that steps are already being taken to address the transfer of scholarships and R+D+I, as well as ownership of the Navarre section of the AP-68, as requested by the Government of Navarre.