The Balearic Islands autonomous community once more finds itself among Spanish regions which will receive least state investment. The national government's budget places the Balearics third last above only La Rioja and Navarre. The investment for 2017 is being cut from 159 million euros in 2016 to 148 million. Only one region, the Canaries, is to receive greater investment than in 2016; all other regions are having the investment budget reduced.
In addition to the comparatively low level of investment, the regional government is concerned that the accounts presented to Congress by finance minister Cristóbal Montoro do not include the 120 million euros that the government is expecting under the road-building agreement. This amount has been included in the region's 2017 budget.
There was an understanding for Madrid to pay 80 million euros per year over three years. There was no such amount in last year's budget, and the latest one has provision for only 15 million. Because there was no inclusion in 2016, it had been anticipated that the 80 million from last year would be added to a 50% payment (of 40 million) for this year.
The regional government is therefore both disappointed and outraged. Madrid is not keeping to its word and will leave the Balearics short of 105 million euros. Noting that the Canaries is benefiting this year, the regional finance ministry suggests that Madrid is using the accounts for partisan and political reasons.
The Balearic budget will therefore have to be amended, though there is a call for a meeting with Montoro's ministry in order to try and get Madrid to comply with its commitments.
By contrast to the 148 million for the Balearics, the highest level of investment (1,156 million) is to go to Andalusia, closely followed by Catalonia with 1,149 million. The Canaries investment is the sixth lowest among the seventeen regions, despite having gone up by over eight million to 270 million. Navarre and La Rioja will respectively receive 79 and 75 million euros.
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