Pedro Sánchez: "This is a Government of agreements"

Lower House of Parliament, Madrid

The chief executive, Pedro Sánchez, today celebrated in the Lower House of Parliament the agreement signed this week in Brussels between the PP and PSOE for the renewal of the Judiciary, a pact that he described as "good" for citizens, companies, the reputation of the judiciary and the Spanish economy, as it "will bring legal certainty".

According to the president, this pact reflects the executive's predisposition to dialogue with everyone in different scenarios: "This is a Government of Agreements. All those who have wanted to reach an agreement with the Government of Spain have always found an outstretched hand", assured Pedro Sánchez, who listed as examples of dialogue the labour reform, the education law and the distribution of European funds with the regional governments.

Likewise, in his reply to Alberto Núñez Feijóo, a member of the Popular Parliamentary Group, the leader of the Executive reiterated the idea of a "government for the majority", which he exemplified with the measures approved this week at the Council of Ministers. Among them, he pointed out the extension of the lowering of VAT on foodstuffs and the reduction in Personal Income Tax to exempt those who earn the Minimum Interprofessional Wage from taxation.

Co-governance with communities

During his response to questions posed by the deputies Aitor Esteban, from the Basque Parliamentary Group (EAJ-PNV), and Néstor Rego, from the Mixed Parliamentary Group, the president referred to the work of the executive with the autonomous communities, highlighting the "commitment to co-governance" in the management of European funds.

"We are aware of the nature of our state, a composite state", said the president, "which is why the regional resilience fund will mobilise up to €20 billion and will be managed in a coordinated manner by the Ministry of Economy, the communities and the European Investment Bank".

Pedro Sánchez pointed out that the participation of the regional governments in this scenario is organised through the investment councils that will approve and monitor the projects. "I hope that over the next few years we will be able to implement this important fund," he stressed.

In this context, the president also mentioned as "positive" examples the PERTEs (Strategic Projects for Economic Recovery and Transformation), with projects activated in the Basque Country, reaffirming the executive's commitment to promoting self-government in Galicia by means of "similar treatment to other territories" and "guaranteeing equality among all citizens, wherever they live".

Non official translation