Congress approves the government’s third anti-crisis shield with ERC, PP and Vox holding back.

The government has received support to approve a third social shield to ease the economic consequences of the war in Ukraine. The first plenary session of the year in Congress, convened in an extraordinary manner, this Tuesday approved by a large majority the royal decree approved by the Council of Ministers in December with a new, abstention from the right and the Esquerra Republicana. BNG. The norm was approved this way, with almost no objections: only seven deputies, Younts and Teruel Existe, voted against the social shield, which provides for a reduction in VAT on basic food or a 200-euro check for socially vulnerable families. Deputies also agreed to draft the resolution as a draft law.

The session of the Parliament adjourned during the month of January, provided for by the regulations of the Congress, to consider the validation of this and the decree issued at the beginning of January to improve the incentives of the labor contract, which posed a threat. to be rejected if they are not discussed at the ministerial meeting within thirty days of approval. The final result of the vote was 175 in favor, 164 abstentions and seven against.

The minister of the presidency, Felix Bolanos, was in charge of defending this package of measures to try to contain inflation and protect the population from the rest of the economic effects of the war in Ukraine, which is celebrating its first year. They are divided into seven blocks: namely, protecting the family economy, reducing the cost of housing, promoting the use of public transport, dealing with rising energy prices, protecting and providing aid to the sectors most affected by the war in Ukraine. To the residents of La Palma and those affected by the forest fire.

Bolaños considered it “difficult to refuse” a package of government measures unless the parties intend to “hurt” the executive branch itself. “This government is protecting the middle and working class” and working “for a fair way out of the crisis,” he said

retained Bolaños. The measures represent a disbursement of 10,000 million in addition to the 35,000 already allocated through 2022 for measures to combat the economic impact of the war.

The main innovation in the package of measures approved on December 28 was the reduction of VAT on the “needs” basket, which was taxed at 4% until now, and now at 0%. The PSOE and Unidas Podemos also agreed on a check for a one-off tax of 200 euros for families with an income of less than 27,000 euros and assets not exceeding 75,000 euros (excluding the usual place of residence), as well as the end of the general bonus. of fuel, which is valid only for professionals from January 1.

The PP is holding back until the “fix” of the government

The People’s Party first decided to refrain from endorsing these royal decrees, which the government first launched in April. The party, led by Alberto Núñez Feijo, insists that the executive has “corrected” and adopted measures that were originally proposed, such as cutting food taxes, although they will not support it because of the “late, bad” involvement. and dragged out.”

“We are not going to vote against the decree that contains the proposals of the PP. Fix it, even if it’s late, badly and drag it. Late, because every day more and more Spaniards realize the price of electricity, gas and the shopping basket. Spaniards could save 353 million if the VAT was reduced in September,” PP spokesman Jaime Eduardo de Olano said.

However, he maintained that his group would not support the decree after the government refused to deflate the personal income tax, renew the 20 cent fuel premium at least for the self-employed or “turn poll checks into taxes. Bonuses.” “If he commits, we will vote in favor, it’s in his hands,” the conservative MP told Bolaños, who took the opportunity to again criticize the 400-euro cultural bonus for young people, which Fayo himself approved when he was president. Xunta de Galicia.

Criticism of partners on the dimensions of solar panels

Many of the groups that have decided to support the government’s standard have done so in the face of criticism for the different nature of the issues included in the same text. Spokespersons from the ERC, EH Bildu, Compromís or BNG criticized the difficult situation in which this decree leaves them, as they support some measures and not others, such as the reduction of the VAT on staple foods, which makes a large part of the investment its about. The partners believe that this will benefit large distributors before citizens.

For this reason, they all requested that the resolution be drafted in the form of a law, so that they could propose changes to each of the points they disagreed with. Much of the criticism has focused on a clause in the decree aimed at easing bureaucratic procedures for installing photovoltaic panels, which has angered Más País, Compromís, the Galician nationalist bloc and even Alianza Verde, which it is part of. United we can.

“We strongly support the development of a plan based on the promotion of 100% renewable energy, but everything must be done well and these articles do not help the sector, because they allow bad projects to fail and harm those who do well”, Juanxo López . De Uralde, a spokesperson for the UP environmental group, said the elimination of the environmental impact assessment required by the decree, which the lawmaker believes is “substantial.”

In the same sense, Baldov positioned himself, who believed that the royal decree for such issues is a “poisoned gift”, because the elimination of environmental impact assessment opens the door to the generation of many of these projects precisely. “Reverse effect”. BNG spokesman Nestor Rego criticized the measure as opening an “open bar” to projects that do not meet minimum requirements.

Hiring help

Congress also approved this Tuesday the decree approved by the government on January 10 to improve employment incentives and which renews the assistance that companies receive today for hiring. The decree, issued by the Labor Ministry and defended by Second Vice President Yolanda Díaz on Tuesday, includes, for example, bonuses in fees paid by companies, which will now focus on permanent contracts, except in specific cases. , which will increase their amount for the most vulnerable situations and which companies will have an obligation to maintain employment for three years.