President Armengol yesterday called on all political and societal groups to form a common front in urging the national government, regardless of what happens at the general election, to create a new system of financing that does justice to the Balearics.
At a public appearance to consider the first one hundred days of government, Armengol stressed the importance of there being a clear sense of unity in appealing for greater financial resources from the state.
Assessing the one hundred days, Armengol pointed to the peace that had broken out in the schools and to the recruitment of 364 new teachers and to measures to help the most vulnerable in society, i.e. the return of free health care to illegal immigrants, the social income (to be introduced in 2016), financial assistance for school pupils from families without resources and employment schemes for the young and the over-45s.
Looking ahead to the coming months, she mentioned the launch of an emergency plan of social renting, the evening opening of health centres, the expansion of marine reserves, a plan against gender violence, an anti-corruption office and a campaign against tax fraud. But the key to next year will be the pursuit of a new special economic regime to compensate for the problems caused by insularity and of a new model of financing that will rectify historical unfair treatment of the Balearics.
Vice-President Barceló stressed that financing difficulties posed an undeniable obstacle to overcoming challenges faced by the regional government, and he considers it necessary, therefore, that the Partido Popular loses the election in December in order to lessen these challenges. He went on to talk about the introduction of the tourist tax, which will be essential for boosting tourism that prizes “quality, innovation and sustainability.”