The presidents of the Balearics and Valencia, Francina Armengol and Ximo Puig, met in Valencia on Wednesday and announced that there is to be an alliance between the two regions, with common strategies related to projects financed by European recovery funds.
One of these projects, the presidents stated, should be the use of European funds to pay for travellers' PCR tests. This funding would be within the framework of guaranteeing mobility and economic recovery of safe destinations.
Saying that there is to be a Balearics-Valencia summit in the Balearics in June or July, the two presidents explained that they have been working together for several weeks in setting out a series of projects under the umbrella of the "blue economy". Depending on the final distribution of the European funds, these projects will concern sustainable transport, adaptation to climate change, innovation, redefinition of the tourism model and professional training.
The Balearics and Valencia are the two regions with the best coronavirus situation. Armengol said that since Christmas and because of the presence of the UK variant, there has been a slow and measured de-escalation of restrictions and therefore reopening of economic activities.
Puig highlighted the importance of the tourism season for both regions, saying that Valencia and the Balearics are in favour of the European Union's digital green certificate, which is due to be operational in June. This will be "a certificate of vaccination and mobility that will be completed with a PCR". "If vaccines are free, the PCR tests should be as well, in order that people can travel again."