The State eases control
The Ministry brings all financial controls under the umbrella of 155 and from January 1 will pay grants and subsidies that were frozen since September
Public and private sector entities that depend more or less on the financing of the Generalitat can breathe a little easier. The Ministry of Finance will leave without effect on December 31 the order which suspends the Government’s credit, invoked on September 20, which in practice blocked the payment for services and goods of the items consigned within the budget but not considered priority with the excuse of trying to prevent payments being diverted to the October 1 referendum. These were part of a long list and included all grants and subsidies related to culture, research programmes, development and cooperation, aid for housing, environmental protection and promotion of tourism, youth and equality programmes, territorial planning, support for agricultural industries and rural infrastructure. From January 1, the government will back-date payment based on the amount designated in the 2017 extended budget. It is estimated that the total amounts to €400 million, even though Madrid has been quick to approve on request, the suspension in some areas such as guaranteed income.
Despite the relaxation in this area, Madrid will still maintain oversight and require certification in exchange for payment that moneys paid are not for services or goods related to the referendum.
In other news, the parliamentary Standing Committee yesterday approved with the votes of Junts pel Sí (JxSí) and Catalunya Sí que es Pot (CSQP) and the abstention of the CUP, an appeal of unconstitutionality before the Constitutional Court against the implementation of Article 155, especially the dismissal of the Government.