The Minister of Finance of the Government of the Canary Islands, Matilde Asián, has considered this Wednesday a "nonsense" that Ceuta or Melilla could have a status comparable to that of the Outermost Regions (ORs), and has guaranteed "absolute tranquility" regarding the specific regime that the archipelago currently enjoys.
In her speech, in response to a question from the Nationalist Group posed by deputy José Manuel Bermúdez, who had asked for "firmness" from the regional Executive, Asián recalled that the two autonomous cities have their own framework that "has nothing to do" with that of the Canary Islands, defined by geographical remoteness and insularity.
The head of Finance stressed that "we have compensation for extra costs, because we are an outermost region and they must have a specific regime for it due to the circumstances they are in, such as being small cities or not having economic activities of a certain magnitude," making it clear that the European instruments that protect the Canary Islands respond to very specific characteristics.
Asián admitted that Ceuta and Melilla may make their own claims, even with "fewer competitive possibilities" than the Canary Islands, but insisted that they "in no way" fit the conditions required to be considered outermost regions.
In this regard, she remarked that "we are not at all like Ceuta and Melilla, beyond having structural deficiencies, but they certainly do not have outermost region status because they are very close to the continent," emphasizing that proximity to the European continental territory is a determining factor.
The minister has described the current debate as "artificial," even though the president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has placed it on the table during a recent visit to Ceuta, and has pointed out that she also does not share the warnings of economist Javier Sánchez Ruano about a supposed risk to the archipelago's status.
In this regard, she recalled that in the European Union there are various regions that make demands to obtain "compensations" for specific circumstances, such as their mountainous character or depopulation, but she specified that "this is not done overnight" nor can it be articulated by resorting to Article 349 of the EU Treaty.
Nationalist concern and defense of the Canarian status
For his part, Bermúdez (CC) has stressed that his group does not have a "will to confront or question the legitimate aspirations" of Ceuta and Melilla, but has admitted that he is "concerned" about the "attempt to move towards new formulas of recognition that could end up diluting or relativizing the legal, political, and institutional uniqueness that the Canary Islands have achieved with so much effort within the European Union".
The deputy has warned that the ongoing reforms both at the European and state level "could call into question" key tools for the Canary Islands, such as the REF and the policies associated with its outermost region status, which is why he considers it "reasonable" to consider whether certain initiatives may open a debate on the uniqueness of the ORs.
Bermúdez has also pointed out that Ceuta and Melilla are seeking to have their own "representation" in the European Committee of the Regions, and has called for the "permanent" protection of Canarian priorities and their spheres of influence in the community institutions.
In that vein, he has argued that "that is why we consider it fundamental that the Government of the Canary Islands maintain a vigilant and active position, not to prevent other territories from advancing in the recognition of their singularities, but to ensure that no progress by third parties means a setback for the Canary Islands".