The Government Leaves Comunidad Valenciana Alone in the Reconstruction of the DANA

The lack of direct aid from the central Executive to address the devastating damage caused by the DANA on October 29 has caused indignation in the Valencian Community. While the Government of Spain did enable extraordinary transfers during the pandemic and has announced more than 1.7 billion for municipal infrastructure, the Generalitat has only received authorization to incur even more debt.

The Valencian president, Carlos Mazón, and the Minister of Finance, Ruth Merino, have repeatedly demanded non-repayable aid to alleviate the greatest catastrophe suffered in the region in centuries. However, the central Government, led by Pedro Sánchez, has opted to allow the Valencian Community to incur another 2.3 billion euros in debt, a figure that adds to the 700 million authorized in December. This decision not only worsens the delicate financial situation of the autonomy but also highlights unequal treatment compared to other regions.

During the pandemic, with extended General State Budgets, the Executive enabled direct transfers to cover expenses derived from the health emergency. Now, the Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero, relies on the lack of new budgets to justify the refusal to grant similar aid to the Valencian Community, despite precedents showing that budgetary modifications in emergency situations are possible.

The Generalitat has insisted on the need to receive resources from the State and the European Union to repair the damage and reactivate the local economy. However, the only response has been the authorization of new loans that must be repaid, aggravating the regional debt that already exceeds 55 billion euros.

This discriminatory treatment has caused unrest in the Valencian Community, which feels abandoned by a Government that has shown greater sensitivity to other allied regions. The lack of direct aid endangers the recovery of the affected municipalities and the economic stability of an autonomy going through one of the most difficult moments in its recent history.