The Government of Spain expresses its satisfaction with the round of meetings with the regional presidents and stresses their importance in promoting measures to benefit citizens

Moncloa Palace, Madrid

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, this Friday continued the round of bilateral meetings with the regional presidents, which the executive has accessed as satisfactory and productive due to their importance in promoting measures to benefit citizens and for dialogue and institutional collaboration between administrations.

The chief executive has received at Moncloa Palace the President of Cantabria, María José Sáenz de Buruaga; the President of La Rioja, Gonzalo Capellán; and the President of the Principality of Asturias, Adrián Barbón, to attend to the needs of each region. After the meetings, the Minister for Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, reported on their content and highlighted the framework of cooperation in which this round of contacts is taking place.

Torres stressed the government's commitment to all the autonomous regions and highlighted the year-on-year increased financing for each region. "With Pedro Sánchez as president, all the communities have received more funding," said the minister, who stressed that the Fiscal and Financial Policy Council is the competent body to address the debate on regional funding under a multilateral framework that considers the singularities of each territory.

The Minister for Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory has confirmed that the regional ministers of the presidency will meet in Madrid on 28 October for the Preparatory Commission for the Conference of Presidents, which will be held in Cantabria.

Record funding and government investment effort in Cantabria

In his meeting with the President of Cantabria, the President of the Government underlined the efforts of the executive to provide the region with record funding of over €2.57 billion in 2024, which is 15% more than in 2023. In the last six years, Cantabria has received almost €3.67 million more, an increase of 39.1%.

Pedro Sánchez also highlighted the impact of European funds in Cantabria, which has received more than €700 billion from the Recovery Plan. To these figures must be added the update of the 2024 payments on account, which translates into a transfer of €325 for Cantabria in September.

In terms of infrastructures, the president has extended his hand to the regional executive to maintain the government's support for the promotion of the La Pasiega Logistics Centre, with an investment of €22 billion during the last legislature, as Minister Torres detailed.

Meeting between the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and the President of Cantabria, María José Sáenz de Buruaga | Pool Moncloa / Fernando Calvo

The government's commitment to Cantabria also includes the arrival of the high-speed train to the region. In this regard, the chief executive recalled the tender in March of the last section Alar del Rey-Reinosa, with a global investment of €1.7 billion to facilitate the arrival of the AVE to Santander. In addition, the president confirmed the government's intention to deliver the new metric gauge trains in the first quarter of 2026, which will culminate an investment of more than €900 million in local trains.

Pedro Sánchez also valued other key investments and actions for the development of Cantabria, such as the €125.5 million for the Sierrapando junction; the €86.6 million for the third lane of the A-67; the €138 million committed to housing, and the nearly 3,900 new vocational training places and almost 300 in education from 0-3 years of age.

Commitment to the agenda for progress and the future of La Rioja

In his meeting with the President of La Rioja, the President of the Government conveyed the executive's commitment to the region, which this year has record funding of €1.4 billion, in addition to the €500 million from European funds. With Pedro Sánchez at the head of the executive, La Rioja has received 42% more funding. In addition, the update of the payments on account for 2024 means that €173 million will be transferred to the region this September.

During his meeting with Capellán, the chief executive highlighted the awarding of the works for the new Rincón de Soto Bypass for €58 million, as well as the study of the AVE to La Rioja, the implementation of new trains for the Logroño-Zaragoza connection, and the study of formulas to increase the frequency of Madrid-Logroño trains. At the same time, the government has promoted the Ronda Sur project (€88 million) and Logroño airport, to improve transport and communications.

Meeting between the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and the President of La Rioja, Gonzalo Capellán | Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

Both presidents share the need to move towards the decarbonisation of the territory. Pedro Sánchez has supported the commitment to La Rioja in terms of the Welfare State: public health and education, access to housing and basic services. The largest annual contributions to the budget have been made in the dependency sector. This involved €18 million by 2024, plus another €17 million for care policies.

The importance of aid to the wine and agricultural sector was also discussed at the meeting, with more than €14 million for the green harvest, €2 million to alleviate drought, €9 million to deal with the consequences of the war in Ukraine, and another €46 million for the modernisation of irrigation systems.

Furthermore, Pedro Sánchez was receptive to the request of the president of La Rioja regarding the temporary transfer of the Glosas Emilianenses to their place of origin for an exhibition to be held in the town of San Millán de la Cogolla in 2026.

Commitment to infrastructures and the reindustrialisation of Asturias

In his meeting with the President of Asturias, Sánchez focused on the government's commitment to the future, infrastructures and reindustrialisation of the Principality, which in 2024 has record funding of over €3.9 billion, 14% more than in 2023. In addition, European funds have left a total of over €1.23 billion in the region, while the update of the 2024 instalments meant the transfer to Asturias of €456 million in September.

One of the central themes of the meeting with Barbón was infrastructure. Both leaders agreed on the success of the recent arrival of the AVE to Asturias, and on the importance for the Principality of the investment of nearly €1.6 billion in Cercanías with Pedro Sánchez at the head of the executive.

Greeting between the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and the President of the Principality of Asturias, Adrián Barbón | Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

As for the Vial de Jove, the President of the Government has conveyed to Barbón the will of the executive to reach a consensus, in a forthcoming meeting, on the best possible solution to optimise access to the western area of Gijón. Pedro Sánchez also highlighted the investment of €2.8 billion in the Atlantic Corridor until 2030.

On industrial matters, Pedro Sánchez conveyed to Barbón the government's willingness to continue supporting steel activity in the region, which is why he has kept the €450 million for the decarbonisation project of the Arcelor Mittal plant on the table.

Both leaders agreed on the defence of the Welfare State. In education, 13,000 grants have been awarded and more than 1,300 new places have been created for infants aged 0-3 years. In this area, the President of the Government applauded the Asturian proposal to invest in free public education from the age of 0 to university graduation.

Friday, 4 October: Murcia, Valencia and Castilla-La Mancha

The President of the Government will continue his round of bilateral meetings with the presidents of autonomous communities and cities on Friday 4 October at Moncloa Palace, where he will receive, in this order, the President of the Region of Murcia, Fernando López Miras (10:00); the President of the Generalitat Valenciana, Carlos Mazón (12:30); and the President of the Junta de Castilla-La Mancha, Emiliano García-Page (16:00).

Likewise, on Friday 11 October, the President will receive, in this order, the President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo (10:00); the President of Aragon, Jorge Azcón (12:30); and the President of the Autonomous Community of Navarre, María Chivite (16:00).

Non official translation