Tenerife Blasts Madrid: No Fire Aid, €10M EU Funds Withdrawn
Tenerife's President criticized the Spanish government for withholding post-fire disaster aid and withdrawing €10 million in European environmental funds, despite the island council increasing its own environmental spending.
The president of the Tenerife Island Council, Rosa Dávila, announced on Wednesday that the Council has not received any money from the central government since the island was declared a 'Disaster Zone' after the 2023 fire, which burned about 14,000 hectares. She also criticized the Spanish government for taking back up to 10 million euros in European funds meant for environmental protection on the island.
Responding to criticism from the socialist opposition, who on Tuesday pointed to cuts in environmental spending and the new 'forestry cent' tax (approved recently to help restore natural areas), Dávila clarified that the funds the socialists were referring to were European funds that the Spanish government had stopped sending to the Council.
However, Dávila stated that the Council's new budget, using its own funds, actually increases environmental spending by more than 8 million euros. This increase comes partly from the 'green cent' tax and partly from stabilizing other funds, despite the central government quickly withdrawing 10 million euros in European funds meant for environmental protection.
Dávila reiterated her criticism of the central government for not sending any money to Tenerife after it was declared a 'Disaster Zone' following the 2023 fire. She accused the Socialist Party of "not only not sending a single cent after that declaration, but also withdrawing up to ten million in funds."
Despite what she called "criticism of the undeniable," the island president defended the Tenerife Island Council's strong commitment to the environment and protecting the island's natural areas. She told reporters that current environmental spending is 50% higher than during the previous socialist government.