The PSOE of Lanzarote has requested that the regulatory bases for the granting of subsidies to the agro-systems of the wine-growing area of La Geria be modified, initially approved by the Island Council, considering that its current wording does not guarantee either the protection of the landscape or a fair and proportional distribution of aid.
The councilor of the Socialist Group in the Cabildo, Benjamín Perdomo, has pointed out that it is incomprehensible that the conservation obligations imposed on those who receive these subsidies should only be maintained until the justification procedure is completed.
“We are talking about conserving a protected landscape, not a specific action. If we really want to protect La Geria, these obligations must be maintained for at least three years. Otherwise, this aid can become a simple economic transfer without any real impact on the territory,” said Benjamín Perdomo.
Crops that put the Landscape at risk are allowed
In addition, Perdomo denounces that the bases allow subsidizing types of crops that not only do not contribute to the conservation of the traditional landscape, but also put it at risk. “Not everything is valid. The cultivation of vines in holes is what has shaped La Geria as we know and admire it. However, these bases leave the door open to subsidizing crops in ditches or lines, which have nothing to do with that model. It is a serious irresponsibility,” warned the socialist councilor.
For the PSOE, it is equally unacceptable that the bases do not establish clear technical criteria to determine the amount of aid. “It cannot be that we are talking about euros per hole or per square meter without defining the parameters precisely.
If the intention is to reward the effort of those who conserve La Geria, the aid must be directly linked to the depth of the hole and the cultivated area. The greater the agricultural effort, the greater the public support should be. Those who care for this landscape with their hands cannot be treated the same as those who disfigure it for convenience,” he added.
Perdomo pointed out that the PSOE of Lanzarote has presented formal allegations to the initially approved bases, and demands that the government group rectify them before their final approval.
“The Cabildo has the obligation to protect one of the most valuable landscapes in the Canary Islands. We are not going to allow public resources to be wasted on poorly planned subsidies that may end up promoting just the opposite of what they claim to defend,” concluded Benjamín Perdomo.
