Pedro Sánchez: "The Government of Spain is collaborating with the judiciary and is accountable to the Spanish parliament"

Lower House of Parliament, Madrid

The President of the Executive, Pedro Sánchez, has defended the coherence of his Government's actions in the face of corruption during the Government control session held in the Lower House. "What the Government of Spain is doing is collaborating with the justice system," said Sánchez in his reply to Alberto Núñez Feijóo, a member of the Popular Parliamentary Group.

Sánchez continued his speech by stressing that the Government is being accountable to Parliament and exemplified this exercise with the Executive's support for the creation of a inquiry committee and an action carried out, according to the president, "assuming political responsibilities, without double standards, without laws of the funnel".

Investments in Catalonia

Speech by the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, during the Government control session in the Lower House of Parliament | EFE

Pedro Sánchez, in response to Teresa Jordá, a member of the Republican Parliamentary Group, pointed out the Government's commitment to Catalonia: "Since I have been president, the financial resources transferred have increased by more than 40%". He added that the Executive is taking decisions to continue "on the path of progress, prosperity and coexistence".

Likewise, the president of the Government of Spain recalled that, through the investiture agreement, a new phase of negotiations is opening that contemplates "an agenda of reforms and transfers to improve social welfare and economic progress in Catalonia". In this sense, Sánchez pointed out that, in the coming weeks, the General State Budget will be tabled, which will meet the commitments made and the investments planned.

In his reply, the head of the Executive stressed that the Government is complying with Catalonia and referred to the degree of execution of investment in global terms in Catalonia, which he put at 90%. He also stressed that the resources from the regional funding system will reach a record amount of almost 27.5 billion euros this year, 10.6% more than in 2023. He also recalled that Catalonia has received 9.233 billion euros from the NextGenerationEU funds and that investment in housing amounted to 778 million euros. He also highlighted the investments planned for rail and road infrastructures, as well as the more than 400 million euros that will be invested in desalination plants to deal with the drought and the 367 million euros that Catalonia has received for science and innovation.

To conclude his speech, he added that "there are sufficient reasons to negotiate and agree on good budgets for Spain and for Catalonia, in 2024 and also in 2025".

Non official translation