The presentation of the 2023 General State Budget is approaching and United We Can’s pressure is intensifying as the PSOE gives maximum urgency to Finance Minister and Deputy Secretary General María Jesús Montero’s fiscal battle with the PP, which it blames. About the “fiscal vacuum” that is harming basic public services. “If the state is covered, 55% of VAT feeds the financing of autonomous communities. Does this mean the PP threads are lining up? I have not seen anyone who refused this part of this funding to go to their territory,” Montero responded to the words of Alberto Núñez Feijoo, who reiterated that “the government will keep the money from the Spaniards and distribute it as they see fit). . “.
Montero devoted much of his initial speech to reinforcing the PP’s position on taxes, which he summed up as “reducing the welfare state to open the door to the privatization market.” “It was Feijóo’s party that had the honor of increasing the VAT on a basket of basic products. [ha contrapuesto Montero a la propuesta que hace ahora de reducir ese tipo a la cesta de la compra]. When they rule, they raise taxes, and against any problem they increase tax cuts until they run out. This is the PP that in the same year approved the highest increase in personal income tax and VAT in our history and launched the infamous tax amnesty.
Selective tax increases and some cuts
The Finance Minister confirmed that there would be selective tax increases when the General State Budget is approved, implying a “package of fiscal measures” to be announced “in the coming days”. Montero did not want to give details of the package other than that tax adjustments that already exist will be included in the budget itself and that new ones will be proposed with specific laws that will be considered urgently, he explained. It will be a case of a new tax on the great wealth, although it is not the only tax increase the government is preparing, ruling out the PP’s proposal for a general cut in VAT on key products on the trade list, although not ruled out for specific questions. The program agreement includes a reduction in VAT on feminine hygiene products, and this is one of the demands of United We Can.
Montero played down criticism that came this Monday from second vice-president Yolanda Díaz by insisting that budget negotiations were still a long way off and demanding concrete issues from the PSOE, such as a rise in personal income tax in the top departments. Also imposition of 15% for companies among others. “Both formations of the government know the importance of timely existence of the budget. In my opinion, we will have new budgets in time. I want to put these words in the context that always arises when negotiations are concluded,” the head of the Treasury said at a press conference in Feraz, in which he was confident that the PSOE and United We can reach an agreement “prematurely”.
“You know the complexity of budget negotiations and the need for prudence (…). You won’t see me stressing the differences, but stressing what unites us,” added Montero, who assured that the fiscal measures “will be shared except for the nuances.” “I don’t think it’s important whether it’s temporary or permanent,” he added. United We Can’s criticism of Pedro Sánchez’s intention that the tax on the rich be limited to the crisis resulting from the Ukrainian war and not has a structural nature.
It opens the door to making changes to trans law
The number two The PSOE sought to avoid a major controversy that the party had this weekend as a result of a conference on feminism organized by the Valencia Diputación de and featuring prominent PSOE feminists such as former vice-president Carmen Calvo. Minister of Justice Gabriela Bravo or Amelia Valcarcel and in which opinions contrary to the trans law were expressed. The secretary of the PSOE’s LGTBI zone, Victor Gutiérrez, dismissed the speakers, assuring via Twitter from the official account that the participating women “do not represent the position of the PSOE”, despite their militancy and prominent positions. Responsibility. Adding to the controversy was Calvo’s interview with the newspaper El Mundo, where he argued that the trans law “could destroy the strong equality legislation in our country”.
Montero avoided denying Calvo, noting that changes could be made in the parliamentary processing of the rule coming out of the Council of Ministers: “Any legislation that comes out of Congress, we have to understand that in its process it will be enriched. We are currently in this process.” The deputy general secretary also tried to calm the war between the PSOE sectors: “The party that is the guarantor of women’s rights and the advancement of trans people or the LGTBI group has the same abbreviation: they are called socialist workers. “Party. Spanish”.
Source: El Diario
