State budget for 2018 to raise spending in Catalonia by €200m

Spain’s proposed state budget for 2018 foresees spending in Catalonia of 1.34 billion euros, 200 million more than in 2017, a rise of 17% compared with last year. The budget bill, which was officially presented to the Spanish parliament speaker on Tuesday, shows that proposed spending for Catalonia is 13.3% of the total amount.

Despite the increase, the Spanish government’s spending plans for Catalonia in 2018 still do not match the country’s contribution to state GDP, which stands at almost 19%. Spain’s Minister of Public Works is to give a news conference on Tuesday to explain his government’s spending plans in more detail.

Should the budget bill be passed in the Spanish parliament, Catalonia will be the part of Spain to receive the most spending after Andalusia, which would get 1.47 billion euros this year. After Catalonia comes the Madrid region (1.24 billion euros) and in fourth position Castile and León (1 billion euros). The total spending proposed in the budget comes to 14.8 billion euros.

According to treasury minister Cristóbal Montoro, the proposed budget shows a “strong commitment to job creation and economic growth.” The minister also claimed that the budget is particularly aimed at “pensioners and public servants” and includes “more resources for education, health and social services.”