This Tuesday we learned of the agreement of the Council of Ministers approving the draft General State Budget for 2023.
Although there is still a long process of analysis and debate in the two legislative chambers, we socialists are proud to present accounts that include the largest social spending and productive investment to make the Canary Islands, and all of Spain, a fairer, more advanced and productive country.
We have spent two very hard years, in which we have had to face a pandemic and, in the Canary Islands, also with Ángel Víctor Torres as president, multiple phenomena, such as fires, zero energy, haze, among others.
Fortunately, all these adversities have been managed by socialist governments, who have done everything possible to find fair solutions for everyone, and offer a quick and effective response to the most pressing needs.
Now we are facing accounts that have been prepared under the premise of boosting economic growth, taking into account how we can be more resilient in the future, in all areas.
Next year's budgets will ensure, among other social measures, improvements in unemployment benefits, contributory and non-contributory pensions, as well as an economic effort to carry out reinforcements in health matters, especially in Primary Care, education and dependency; all this, in addition, incorporating funds from the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan that will guide the Spanish economy towards a more digital, greener and more productive model.
From the Government of the Canary Islands, it has already been announced that negotiations will continue to extend the 50% discount on buses and trams to 2023, as we proposed from the Archipelago in the signing of the initial Protocol with the State.
As a socialist, I am proud to belong to a formation, with years of history, in which we can raise our voices and say very loudly that we have always been, are and will be on the side of those who need it most. Because we know how to listen and put ourselves in the place of the other and, above all, because we have the capacity to manage resources in a way that reaches everyone, promoting the cohesion of the territories, so that we can ensure social justice.
I hope that, as happened last year, the effort made by socialists will be recognized by the parliamentary majority. I trust that we will be able to reach agreements, through dialogue and with a broad vision, to avoid an extension of the current accounts, and that this will cause a decrease for our islands, both in investment and in resources in favor of equality and the Welfare State in each of them.
Without a doubt, these accounts represent the stability of an Executive that governs, that offers answers and that moves the country forward with initiatives and reforms. I trust that we can approve them soon in the two chambers, because we have important projects that allow us to look to the future with confidence and security.
Nira Fierro is the Secretary of Organization of the PSOE Canarias and president of the Socialist Parliamentary Group in the Regional Chamber.
