Just 24 hours before a crucial bilateral meeting between the Canary Islands and the State, scheduled to take place at the Presidency headquarters in Santa Cruz de Tenerife this Friday, April 10, the PP has intensified political pressure. The conservative party has introduced an initiative in the Congress to demand an extension of the execution periods for these funds, aligning them with those already applied by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (Miteco) itself.
“"We hope that all deputies and senators will support an issue that is not sterile politicking, but rather a matter of justice."
The PP's backing, articulated from its headquarters on Génova Street, strengthens the position that the Canary Islands Government will present at the bilateral table. The Minister of Ecological Transition, Mariano Hernández Zapata, has highlighted the greater technical and logistical complexity of energy projects in the archipelago, which justifies the need to adjust timelines to ensure their viability.
“"They deceived us four months ago when they told us that the European Commission did not allow extensions of deadlines except for projects of the Institute for Diversification and Energy Saving (IDAE), and the EU authorities themselves sent a letter on Wednesday demanding that the State sit down to negotiate the extension with the Canary Islands."
The popular party denounces unequal treatment, as the State has extended its own programs until 2028, while autonomous communities maintain a limit expiring in May 2026. This rigidity, they warn, could lead to the loss of investments and the paralysis of key projects, such as the installation of at least 100 megawatts of new renewable power in the archipelago.
The popular spokesperson in the joint committee for the EU, Milagros Marcos, criticized the opacity in the management of Next Generation funds, noting that, with less than five months remaining, only 36% has been spent with no clarity on its destination. The PP's initiative seeks to modify state regulations and request specific flexibility mechanisms from Brussels for outermost regions like the Canary Islands.
