The Minister for Economy, Finance and Innovation, Antoni Costa, has defended the initiatives launched to diversify an economy “with a structural problem” in the face of the rise in the cost of basic foods.
Costa has spoken in this way during the plenary session of the Parliament this Tuesday, in response to the MÉS per Mallorca deputy Marta Carrió, who has challenged him over the difficulties many workers face in acquiring essential products such as fruit and vegetables.
“From the first day of the legislature I have said that the Balearic Islands’ economy suffers from a structural problem, because it is unable to translate economic growth into the well-being of residents. That is why for three years we have prioritized innovation, technologies and industry 4.0 to boost and add value to the economy,” the minister has replied.
Costa has stressed that, “unfortunately,” the transformation of the production model “cannot be achieved in one, in two or in three years, nor in a legislature,” and he has reproached Carrió that “I would have liked, in the previous legislature, for them to have pushed diversification policies.”
The economic head of the Govern has also highlighted the 300 million euros mobilized by the regional executive to support the productive sectors in the face of the consequences of the war in the Middle East.
At the end of his speech, and when referring directly to the issue raised by the ecosoberanista deputy, he has reproached her that “if the prices of basic foods worry her so much,” they have not demanded “the elimination of VAT.” “Her commitment to Sánchez and to the sanchista party is total and absolute,” he has rounded off.
For her part, the MÉS deputy has criticized that the Govern does not react to “the multitude of families that cannot buy fresh fruit and vegetables because they don’t make it to the end of the month,” despite the fact that the Balearic Islands “is a land of farmers.”
“Does she think this is an economy that serves ordinary people? Does she think their policy works for ordinary people? Where is the wealth? Because in people’s pockets and in the fridge, no,” Carrió has asked from the rostrum.
The deputy has opined that, despite the regional and state aid, “the cost of living will continue to be just as high after the war,” and she has criticized that the Govern’s tax cut strategy has hardly any impact on the majority of citizens.
"Less than a euro a day for normal people, but to the rich, at full throttle. You only lower the VAT from time to time. We ask to have it lowered because we are some islands and living here costs more," the eco-sovereigntist concluded.