The president of the Spanish government has invited political formations to support the commitment made at the NATO summit to reach 2% of GDP by 2029.
The President of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, has demanded reflection from political groups in Congress so that they set aside “ideological issues” and support the commitment he made on defense spending at the NATO summit which has been held in Madrid: Reach 2% of GDP in 2029
Speaking to the media at the end of that summit, Sánchez expressed his satisfaction that all of Spain’s goals had been achieved, a country that has said it has strengthened its image of seriousness, solvency and commitment to allies and ” it has strengthened its position on the international stage.”
The meeting of NATO’s heads of state or government made it possible to adopt the new Strategic Concept, which sets out the Alliance’s lines of action for the next ten years. The agreements made mean that increased military spendingand Sánchez has made it clear to the rest of the leaders that Spain is moving towards achieving the target of defense spending equivalent to 2% of GDP.
That was the goal that NATO’s 2014 Wales summit should have achieved in 2024, but Spain is a long way from that figure as it currently allocates 1.01% to this task, according to Alliance data.
Sánchez had already put forward his intention to increase this spending, even if it was not possible to meet the 2024 date, and this Thursday set the target of 2% of GDP for 2029, which he has indicated is is a commitment not only to NATO, but also to the European Union.
Therefore there will be a gradual rise of these expenditures in the general budgets of the state, which means that these props needed by the political forces.
The president has explained that he will ask parliament for this support and that an increase in the defense budget will already be included in the next budget bill for 2023. “I want that proposal to be a… land deal”, for which he has called for reflection and to set aside the “ideological issues”.
Sánchez cited as an example the change of Sweden and Finland, which broke their neutrality of decades to ask for their accession to NATO, to find it necessary for Spain to reflect on the parties opposed to the increase in defense expenditure.
“In what I represent as President of the Government and Secretary General of the PSOE, we are very clear: we know which space we belong to, namely Europe, the Alliance, and we are going to defend this position in Congress,” he said. . added.
Spain is currently penultimate NATO country in defense spendingonly before Luxembourg, according to the latest report made public by the Alliance on the eve of the summit.
United We Can assures it will not support the raise
United We Can has made it clear that it will not support an increase in the defense budget to 2% of the country’s GDP, as enshrined in the NATO summit pledges, and reiterates that will maintain the same position against that they have made explicit during these months.
“You already know our position on this issue, we will not support it,” the chairman of the Confederate Group in Congress, Jaume Asens, said in statements to the media in the corridors of the House of Representatives.
For its part, the Minister of Consumption and the Federal Coordinator of IU, Alberto Garzón, has recalled that his space was already manifested then, by rejecting those plans to increase military expenditure, and they continue to maintain their position in the same direction .
Ione Belarra, Secretary General of Podemos and current Minister of Social Rights and Agenda 2030, has spoken along the same lines: “Spain needs a guaranteed income much more than more investment in tanks or weapons.”
Feijóo opens defense policy agreement and calls for “coherence”
The PP president, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, was willing to agree on a defense and security policy, but has called on the government to be “coherent” and formulate a proposal.
In a press conference in Getxothe popular president has emphasized that his party always has a NATO’s “strong supporter” and of a bilateral relationship “of trust and friendship” with the United States.
He has assured that the government can “count” on the PP for a state defense policy, but has indicated that the first thing is that the entire government “consistent” about this and formulate a proposal, to which your party will respond “seriously”. Thus, the unity of the coalition government was considered an essential requirement.
Other comments
EH Bildu is also against increasing the defense budget, according to sources from the Abertzale coalition: they have argued that said investments are contrary to social policy. Esquerra has also shown his disagreement.
However, the PNV has not closed the door to approval of this defense plan, as long as it does not have a military attack as its target. According to EBB president Andoni Ortuzar, it should be a policy “of deterrence, of defence, never of attack”.
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Source: EITB
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
