The 7.2 million euros of the subsidy for the production of desalinated water and of the one that addresses the border fact that the State owes to Ceuta are more in the air than ever. At least, this is what emerges from the lack of concreteness of the response that the Government of Pedro Sánchez has given to the question that, in this regard, was asked by the senator of Vox for Ceuta, Yolanda Merelo, last March .

The Ceuta parliamentarian then questioned the Executive to say when the payments of the 2019 subsidies will be made, which were not made in both Ceuta and Melilla. Merelo pointed out how around 22 million euros in grants to autonomous cities – 7.2 million for Ceuta and 14.4 for Melilla – had been frozen and asked for answers about what will happen with these transfers.

Now the socialist government recognizes "the formalization of the agreements between the General State Administration and the Autonomous Cities of Ceuta and Melilla in order to finance the operating costs of the desalination plants and on the Border Event of the aforementioned Cities, which responds to the nature of nominal grants ”. However, it points out that "being in a context of budget extension, a regulatory instrument is required that allows the formalization of the corresponding agreements to execute said subsidies during the year." Something that did not happen in 2019 and before which the Government does not clarify if it will pay the money owed.

It also leaves subsidies for 2020 up in the air. And, in its response to Merelo, the Government says that "the current situation means that actions aimed at combating the health crisis caused by COVID-19 are being prioritized." Without mentioning any commitment to pay these amounts, the Sánchez Executive only ends his response saying that "the specification of the budget items will be agreed, as usual, within the framework of the preparation of the General State Budgets."

"This response makes very clear the intentions of this Government towards the Ceuta", warns Juan Sergio Redondo, president of VOX Ceuta. In addition, he criticizes that the position of the Sánchez Executive is "exactly to do nothing, to make people dizzy as‘ la partridge ’with leguley subterfuges to deny us, on the basis of verbiage, empty the money that by right belongs to all citizens."

This response, emphasizes Redondo, "does not fit at all with the statements of Manuel Hernández, a socialist spokesman in Ceuta, who yesterday with great fanfare after attending as a mere troupe to the Federal Political Council of his party, claimed to have confidence that the Government take into account Vivas' requests ”. Therefore, for the president of VOX Ceuta, "with this type of response it is clear that they have no intention of doing anything for the city." Redondo regrets that, once again, "the Ceuta are being deceived, trying to give the image that they are doing something to do absolutely nothing, indecently bowing to the slogans given by their party and ignoring that, before politicians, we are Ceuta" .



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