Arcadi Spain hints at a possible tax increase to finance transport: "We cannot send messages of cuts"

With the recent resignation of Óscar Puente in the chamber after the Urda railway tragedy, the Minister of Finance has hinted this Friday in Valencia that taxes will have to be raised. At least, if you want to finance an improvement in investment in the Spanish transport network, according to what Arcadi Spain has said.

This was stated during his speech at the Mediterranean Tribune Europe Forum, where he was flanked by the Minister of Science, Diana Morant, her team at the Ministry and the senior staff of the PSPV-PSOE. "This country is going to need additional investment in transport, in high speed and in Cercanías," said the minister, who highlighted in any case that the current level of investment in Adif and high speed is today 80% higher than during the years of the PP government.

Budget execution, he insisted, "is above 90%." Therefore, "it will be a priority of the progressive Government if citizens give us their trust" in the 29-N elections, Spain added. Now, the "additional investment" in the transport network will not come for free, as he has stated, which is why he has criticized the promises of tax reductions by PP and Vox.

"An investment effort will be needed, so we cannot send messages of massive cuts in income for the public administration," he warned, in reference to the right-wing parties, which he has criticized for their double record: "In the campaign they are the ones that lower taxes the most and then, the ones that raise taxes the most."

Now, Spain has not avoided the possibility that the PSOE ends up in opposition after next November 29. Asked about the latest UCO investigation that has once again placed the corruption of former minister José Luis Ábalos in the spotlight, Spain has thrown the ball away. The possible electoral "cost" at the gates of the campaign, he stated, "will be decided by the citizens."

"Zero corruption does not exist," he clarified in any case. "There is a way to deal with it." And in this case, according to the minister, the PSOE acted with "forcefulness", taking "hard decisions before knowing the facts."