Balearic European funding slashed by half

DURING the period 2007-2013 the Balearics will receive only half of the European funds for development which it received during the period 2000-2006.
The amount will be 175 million euros which will include both funds from the FEDER programme and from the European Social Fund, of which the State will have direct control over 48 percent, instead of 34 percent as now. This is a “diminishing of regional financing”, complained the Balearic Minister for Economy, Tax and Innovation, Lluis Ramis de Ayreflor, yesterday. He had previously received notification from the Spanish Government by fax about the funds for the Balearics, saying that 5.38 percent of the 3'250 million euros received by Spain between 2007 and 2013 will be apportioned to the islands. According to Ramis de Ayreflor the Balearic Government is “deeply disappointed” because the notification from the Spanish Minister for Economy and Tax implies that they will only have direct control of 91.5 million euros from European funds in the next seven years, as opposed to the 104 million which they now manage. This is a reduction of 12 percent, without taking inflation into account. The Minister “regretted” the decision taken by the State in this respect and said that they had not taken into account the difficulties of being islands and had treated the Balearics like “another continental community”. He added that this situation is “discriminatory” compared with the Canary Islands who will receive specific funds of 100 million euros.