National
Regional Socialist leaders meet to discuss funding
By h.b.
May 22, 2008 - 7:46 AM

Regional Socialist leaders met for more three and a half hours yesterday to discuss the funding of the autonomous regions. The debate was held in the Moncloa Palace and described afterwards as both frank and constructive.

The Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, was present in the talks, as was the Deputy Prime Minister, María Teresa Fernández de la Vega and the Minister for Tax and the Economy, Pedro Solbes.

The Socialist controlled regional administrations are keen to reach a new agreement on funding levels, and hope that the regions controlled by the P.P. will also sign up to such a deal.

Key to such a deal is how Cataluña is treated, and the opinions of the Socialist leader of the region, José Montilla, were eagerly listened to last night. He is reported to have told the meeting that any agreement cannot prejudice Cataluña or threaten the new Statute for the region in any way.