Spain to control Catalan finances with “specific measures”
The Spanish government will impose special conditions on Catalonia when transferring funds from the Spanish Liquidity Point (FLA). The aim is to guarantee the “transparency” and “the legal compliance of the payments” as well as “make sure that the funds are destined for the planned activities”, stated Spanish vice-president Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría this Friday. She justified these “specific and additional controls” due to “Catalonia’s singularity” and “the non-fulfilment of its obligations”. Catalonia is set to receive 3,034 million euros from the FLA, which will be subject to these new measures. Current Catalan Finance Minister, Andreu Mas-Colell, responded that the transferring of FLA funds “shouldn’t be conditioned” to whether the Spanish government “likes the Catalan politics or not”. He added that the “dramatisation” of the announcement is part of the 20-D electoral campaign.