The Spanish government vetoes airport co-management because it would reduce "Aena's revenues"

PalmaThe Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Courts has sent a statement to the Bureau of the Congress in which it exercises its veto on the bill for airport co-management in the Balearic Islands. The official document argues, among other issues, that allowing regional intervention in the administration of the airports would cause a significant drop in public revenue and would negatively affect "Aena's aeronautical income". The loss for this year, it assures, would be around 32.9 million euros. MÉS per Mallorca has denounced the position of Pedro Sánchez's executive and has demanded that the President of the Congress, Francina Armengol, take action.

The ministry also warns that the proposed law violates the State's exclusive powers and puts the financial and operational stability of the airport network at risk. "Departing from the criteria that must govern the planning of investments for the optimization of the airport system as a whole would generate inefficiencies, duplications, and additional expenses," it states. The technical analysis estimates that "the reduction in Aena's aeronautical revenues in the current fiscal year would be 32.9 million euros" and "the dividends that the State would receive for being the owner of 51% of the capital would decrease by more than 8.3 million euros". Furthermore, it considers that the centralized model guarantees "solidarity" between territories and connectivity.

According to article 134.6 of the Spanish Constitution, any proposal or amendment that implies an increase in credits or a decrease in budgetary income requires the consent of the Spanish government to be processed. The deputy in Congress for MÉS per Mallorca, Vicenç Vidal, has lamented that the Spanish government and Aena "are inventing an economic prejudice to justify a political decision". In this sense, the deputy has argued that establishing a co-management system does not imply any decision, but only giving participation to the autonomous community.

In this sense, he recalls that the Bureau of Congress has the power to lift the veto, and has demanded that the socialist members do so together with those of Sumar, who will vote in favor. "Armengol will have to decide whether she defends the right of the Balearic Islands to debate about their airports", stated the general coordinator of MÉS per Mallorca, Lluís Apesteguia.

The Balearic Government defends co-management

Asked about the Spanish government's decision in a press conference, the second vice-president of the Balearic Islands, Antònia Estarellas, defended co-management, but avoided evaluating the document in detail. "We do not know the details," she said: "We are committed to this law and hope that it moves forward".