The Government of Spain makes a very positive assessment of the meetings with regional presidents

The head of the Executive has received the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Salvador Illa; and the Presidents of the Junta de Castilla y León, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco; of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas; and of Melilla, Juan José Imbroda, at Moncloa Palace.

After each meeting, the Minister for Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, reported on the content and highlighted collaboration between administrations, dialogue and co-governance as the keys to a round of contacts in which Pedro Sánchez received all the regional presidents, except for the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, who refused to attend. "It is a mistake," the minister lamented. "The citizens of the Community of Madrid have been left without a voice," he said.

Torres stressed that the Fiscal and Financial Policy Council is the competent body for agreeing on a new regional financing model, and pointed to the Conference of Presidents on 13 December in Cantabria as an example of the Government's commitment to institutional stability.

Dialogue and re-establishment of bilateral commissions with Catalonia

Meeting between the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Salvador Illa | Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo

In the meeting with the president of the Generalitat, the president underlined the shared commitment to dialogue, through the agreement to reactivate the four bilateral commissions in the first quarter of 2025: the Generalitat-State Commission, the Joint Commission on Transfers, the Infrastructure Investment Commission and the Joint Commission on Economic and Fiscal Affairs.

The head of the Executive highlighted the progress planned with regard to the transfer of powers, among which the scholarships and the modules for new judicial bodies stand out. Sánchez also highlighted the agreement to free up the justice system with the reinforcement of the judicial plant in Barcelona, as well as the investment of 400 million euros in the INNOFAB project for a chip pre-production centre.

Sánchez also focused on the figures that back up the Government's commitment to Catalonia, which in the last six years of Socialist government has received 49 billion euros more than during the previous government's term of office, 50.5% more. In 2024, Catalonia will receive 29.844 billion, 18.1% more than in 2023; and the forecast for 2025 is 30.83 billion.

Investment and commitment to the citizens of Castilla y León

Meeting between the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and the President of the Junta of Castilla y León, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, in Moncloa Palace | Pool Moncloa / Fernando Calvo

In his meeting with the president of the Junta de Castilla y León, Pedro Sánchez appraised the Government's investment effort in the region, which in 2024 will receive record funding of 9.292 billion euros and has a forecast of 9.541 billion for 2025. In the last six years, Castilla y León has received 36.2% more resources than under the previous government, a total of 12.375 billion more.

In terms of housing, the president of the Government of Spain highlighted the investment of 532 million euros committed by the Executive in Castilla y León, which has already received 93% of an investment that has allowed the construction of 1,574 new homes and the rehabilitation of another 17,496, as Torres pointed out.

Ceuta and Melilla: financial commitment and resources against migratory pressure

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, welcomes the President of the Autonomous City of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, upon his arrival at Moncloa Palace | Pool Moncloa / Fernando Calvo

In his meeting with the presidents of Ceuta and Melilla, the head of the Executive also emphasised the resources earmarked for both autonomous cities, which in 2024 will receive record funding of more than 29 million euros each. With Pedro Sánchez at the head of the Government, the investment executed in Ceuta totals 118.7 million, while in Melilla the figure stands at 132.5 million.

The president of the Government of Spain highlighted the efforts of the Executive to provide Ceuta and Melilla with sufficient funding and resources for migration issues, and has reiterated the need to reform Article 35 of the Immigration Law.

Meeting between the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and the President of the Autonomous City of Melilla, Juan José Imbroda, in Moncloa Palace | Pool Moncloa / Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

Meeting with the president of the FEMP on Monday 25 November

Having completed the round of bilateral meetings with the presidents of the autonomous communities and cities, the president of the Government of Spain will end his territorial meetings with a meeting on Monday 25 November with the president of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP), María José García-Pelayo.

Non official translation