The Minister of Social Rights, Pablo Bustinduy, has demanded that the autonomous communities halve the waiting lists for dependency by 2027 and that they reach "zero" by 2028, after it has been agreed that the funding for the Dependency Law will be shared 50% between the State and the autonomous communities.
"The part that remains now is to carry out a work of pressure, surveillance, and demand on the autonomous communities to comply, since they have double the resources for dependency," he said in an interview with "La Vanguardia" reported by Europa Press.
He emphasized that the reform, approved in July, reduces the maximum period for communities to resolve cases from 6 to 3 months and attributed the current waiting lists to the "direct" effect of the cuts in dependency from the past decade, which he estimates at 5.406 billion euros.
He defended that, with this reform, the horizon of the system is "promising" and that progress will be made towards a care model that, in his opinion, will meet the current social needs.
With the state contribution of 6.2 billion, Bustinduy describes the reform as "the most ambitious possible" to transform the care system, which, as he explained, leaves behind a scheme focused on large residences to evolve towards one that facilitates people staying in their homes for as long as possible and with the best quality of life.
Housing and conflict with the PSOE
Asked about the PSOE's abstention regarding the initiative to veto the purchase of homes by investment funds, the minister described the socialist position as "incomprehensible."
"We are not going to give up. But the agreement already exists. It is a decree law negotiated over three years with the PSOE that freezes rents at prices from 5 years ago, tackles fraud in tourist and seasonal rentals, and halts evictions. It was planned to be taken to Congress in July and it was not fulfilled," he said.
Legislature and social priorities
He predicted that the legislature and the Executive still have "much to achieve," although he acknowledged that Sumar would like to encounter less resistance from the PSOE.
Among the main demands of his ministry in view of the upcoming debate on the General State Budgets, he has placed the requirement for a universal parenting benefit to eradicate child poverty and the free school meals in public education.
Ceuta and migration management
Questioned about the actions of the government of the autonomous city of Ceuta in the face of the migration crisis, Bustinduy has pointed out that the city "does not take charge" of the responsibilities that correspond to it.
"Mr. Alberto Núñez Feijóo, and unfortunately, for me incomprehensibly, Mr. Juan Jesús Vivas, are contributing to maintaining an absolutely unsustainable situation, for what? To gain political advantage?" he has asked.
Reorganization of the plurinational left
In relation to the future of the plurinational left, the minister has assured that the reorganization "is progressing adequately" and has interpreted the caution regarding names and acronyms as a sign that the process is being carried out successfully.
"The goal is to offer a solid and effective candidacy to stop the far right. I fully trust that the space will be up to the task when the time comes and that it will confront Feijóo's coalition with the far right," he has said.