Vox Proposes Conditions for Support of Valencian Budget Amid Controversial Demands
The party insists on having a role in resource allocation for post-disaster reconstruction while presenting a series of demands to the Valencian government.
Vox has expressed its desire to directly participate with the Generalitat Valenciana in the resource distribution plan for reconstruction following recent storms, despite not being part of the Valencian government.
The party is demanding a commitment from President Carlos Mazón that the region will not accept any unaccompanied foreign minors.
Additionally, Vox is calling for a significant reduction in development cooperation funding and a substantial cut in subsidies aimed at promoting the Valencian language.
These requirements are part of broader conditions Vox is imposing to support the Valencian government's budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
On Monday, Ignacio Garriga, the Secretary General of Vox, welcomed President Mazón's alignment with the party's positions on two key issues: the denunciation of the European Green Deal and opposition to policies they claim encourage uncontrolled illegal immigration.
Garriga noted that this alignment was necessary to unblock negotiations on the regional budget for 2025, as party leader Santiago Abascal had previously stipulated that discussion on this matter could not proceed without such a declaration from Mazón.
The progress in negotiations with the Valencian People's Party (PP) does not imply Vox's support for the regional budget is guaranteed.
Garriga outlined a series of demands that include explicit commitments regarding immigration, with Vox calling for a ban on the acceptance of unaccompanied minors and the elimination of subsidies to NGOs that assist illegal immigration.
The party also seeks budget allocations for reliable age verification tests for immigrants and funds for an irregular immigrant return plan, which typically falls under the central government's jurisdiction.
Regarding development cooperation, Vox demands a historic cut of approximately 40%, equating to around €22.5 million.
The party asserts that any remaining funds should focus on containing illegal immigration and promoting Valencian businesses abroad.
Alongside this, they call for the complete removal of funding for pro-Palestinian organizations and for the termination of a €600,000 agreement with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Additionally, Vox has insisted that the Valencian government refrain from spending on what they describe as 'ideological nonsense,' specifically targeting initiatives aimed at combating climate change or fulfilling the United Nations' 2030 Agenda.
Moreover, the party seeks to eliminate certain funding streams related to the Historical Memory Law, requesting cuts of at least 40% and suggesting that only minimum necessary funding for identifying remains should be maintained.
Vox intends to significantly reduce the budget for the Valencian Academy of the Language and subsidies aimed at promoting the Valencian language, which Garriga described as excessive.
The group is also advocating for increased child tax benefits, specifically benefiting families who file income tax returns, and wants the principle of 'national priority' to be established in aid distribution, thereby potentially discriminating against legally residing foreigners in Spain.
Among the proposed tax changes are reductions in the Property Transfer and Documented Legal Acts Tax and adjustments to inheritance and donation tax rates that would primarily impact family members.
In contrast to their fiscal proposals, Vox's suggested spending cuts are less specific, calling for significant reductions in subsidies for social agents, ideological entities, and equality initiatives, among other budgetary cuts.
A notable and somewhat contentious aspect of Vox's demands is their insistence on participating directly in the resource distribution plan for post-storm reconstruction.
Vox has not clarified how a party outside the government can engage directly in public aid distribution, although Garriga has proclaimed that all savings from unnecessary expenditures should be redirected to reconstruction efforts.
He stated that the Generalitat would assume costs related to potential fines imposed by Brussels or Madrid for legal infractions during reconstruction activities.
Garriga described these proposals as just 'small glimpses' of Vox's demands for the passage of the budgets, asserting that there would be more to come, reflecting a shift in the regional government's direction under Mazón. The positioning of the party suggests a push for unprecedented budgetary changes within the Valencian Community.
The party is demanding a commitment from President Carlos Mazón that the region will not accept any unaccompanied foreign minors.
Additionally, Vox is calling for a significant reduction in development cooperation funding and a substantial cut in subsidies aimed at promoting the Valencian language.
These requirements are part of broader conditions Vox is imposing to support the Valencian government's budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
On Monday, Ignacio Garriga, the Secretary General of Vox, welcomed President Mazón's alignment with the party's positions on two key issues: the denunciation of the European Green Deal and opposition to policies they claim encourage uncontrolled illegal immigration.
Garriga noted that this alignment was necessary to unblock negotiations on the regional budget for 2025, as party leader Santiago Abascal had previously stipulated that discussion on this matter could not proceed without such a declaration from Mazón.
The progress in negotiations with the Valencian People's Party (PP) does not imply Vox's support for the regional budget is guaranteed.
Garriga outlined a series of demands that include explicit commitments regarding immigration, with Vox calling for a ban on the acceptance of unaccompanied minors and the elimination of subsidies to NGOs that assist illegal immigration.
The party also seeks budget allocations for reliable age verification tests for immigrants and funds for an irregular immigrant return plan, which typically falls under the central government's jurisdiction.
Regarding development cooperation, Vox demands a historic cut of approximately 40%, equating to around €22.5 million.
The party asserts that any remaining funds should focus on containing illegal immigration and promoting Valencian businesses abroad.
Alongside this, they call for the complete removal of funding for pro-Palestinian organizations and for the termination of a €600,000 agreement with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Additionally, Vox has insisted that the Valencian government refrain from spending on what they describe as 'ideological nonsense,' specifically targeting initiatives aimed at combating climate change or fulfilling the United Nations' 2030 Agenda.
Moreover, the party seeks to eliminate certain funding streams related to the Historical Memory Law, requesting cuts of at least 40% and suggesting that only minimum necessary funding for identifying remains should be maintained.
Vox intends to significantly reduce the budget for the Valencian Academy of the Language and subsidies aimed at promoting the Valencian language, which Garriga described as excessive.
The group is also advocating for increased child tax benefits, specifically benefiting families who file income tax returns, and wants the principle of 'national priority' to be established in aid distribution, thereby potentially discriminating against legally residing foreigners in Spain.
Among the proposed tax changes are reductions in the Property Transfer and Documented Legal Acts Tax and adjustments to inheritance and donation tax rates that would primarily impact family members.
In contrast to their fiscal proposals, Vox's suggested spending cuts are less specific, calling for significant reductions in subsidies for social agents, ideological entities, and equality initiatives, among other budgetary cuts.
A notable and somewhat contentious aspect of Vox's demands is their insistence on participating directly in the resource distribution plan for post-storm reconstruction.
Vox has not clarified how a party outside the government can engage directly in public aid distribution, although Garriga has proclaimed that all savings from unnecessary expenditures should be redirected to reconstruction efforts.
He stated that the Generalitat would assume costs related to potential fines imposed by Brussels or Madrid for legal infractions during reconstruction activities.
Garriga described these proposals as just 'small glimpses' of Vox's demands for the passage of the budgets, asserting that there would be more to come, reflecting a shift in the regional government's direction under Mazón. The positioning of the party suggests a push for unprecedented budgetary changes within the Valencian Community.
Translation:
Translated by AI
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
