The Minister, who has led the Department of Economy and Finance since 2024, explained that the negotiation with Vice President María Jesús Montero sought to correct a model that had expired twelve years ago, creating an “enormous” disparity among autonomous communities in funding key competencies such as healthcare, education, and social rights.
Romero described the proposal as “good” because the State will contribute 21 billion euros to the system, providing more resources to compensate underfunded communities like Catalonia, the Valencian Community, and Murcia. Furthermore, the new paradigm will be based on income rather than expenditure, making it more transparent, flexible, and promoting co-responsibility.
“"I had said at some point that we would be satisfied with 17 or 18 billion, and the Government has ended up putting in 21 billion. Therefore, Catalonia gains more than we thought. I did not expect these 4.7 billion that correspond to us."
The application of these resources, if the new model is approved this year, will take effect starting in 2027, allowing the funds to be incorporated into new budgets. These resources are vital for alleviating tension in public services, such as improving investment in education (reducing temporary classrooms) and dependency care.
Romero stressed the urgency of approving new budgets, as credits from 2023 are being extended, causing treasury problems. She thanked the Comuns for their “generosity and responsibility” in opening negotiations for the 2026 accounts, while awaiting ERC to fulfill pending agreements to resume negotiations.
