The Andalusian Government invokes the "spirit of Doñana" and will ask for the transfers of commuter trains

The Andalusian Government presided over by Juan Manuel Moreno has committed, through its parliamentary group, to ask the State for the competence of commuter rail transport, contemplated in article 64 of the Statute of Autonomy for Andalusia. The initiative has come from the left-wing groups Por Andalucía (the regional brand of Sumar) and Mixto-Adelante Andalucía, in the votes on the proposals for resolutions of the debate on the state of the community.

Moreno himself has voted for the two proposals from his seat. That of Por Andalucía urges its government to request the convening of the mixed transfer commission to demand "the integral transfer" of the rail transport service that is developed entirely in Andalusia throughout the legislature"; while that of Adelante also calls for "the corresponding associated financing to implement an interconnection plan through the railway of all towns with more than 50,000 inhabitants".

On the first day of the debate, Moreno made almost twenty announcements, but none of them alluded to the claim of railway powers. He simply played a dialectical game: "Can you imagine what we would do in Andalusia with the 6,000 million euros of financing for commuter trains?" But it did not pass from imagination to concreteness.

Sources from the Andalusian Government have explained that they have joined the proposal by invoking the "spirit of Doñana" to reach agreements with the Executive of Pedro Sánchez, such as the one achieved this week with the national park. The day before, Moreno alluded to this Doñanesque pact and instructed his adviser to the Presidency, Antonio Sanz, to negotiate with the socialist group on the Andalusian and State Budgets. But while Moreno exhibits his best profile, in the Congress of Deputies Feijóo's PP is preparing for a "proportional and proportionate" opposition to a "radical" government.

The PSOE in Andalusia, the main opposition group, has abstained, which has surprised its allies in the national government. In the agreement for Sánchez's investiture, the PSOE has signed an agreement with Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya in which it undertakes to "complete and extend the comprehensive transfer from the General State Administration to the Generalitat of Catalonia, throughout the current legislature, of the Rodalies rail transport service". There is also an agreement with the PNV to "transfer the economic management of Social Security" within two years, as stated in the Statute of Gernika. Article 63.3 of the Andalusian Statute also includes this competence, although Moreno's government is not going to ask for it, according to the sources consulted.

The socialist spokesperson, Ángeles Férriz, has avoided explaining the reason for the abstention on railway competences, although she has clarified that it was not a mistake when voting. "Our position is abstention," he limited himself to answering questions from journalists. Shortly after, the PSOE sent a confusing statement in which it tries to explain itself: "The Government of the Junta has not formally requested it at any time from the State [the railway transfer] and, however, now votes in favour blindly without giving any information about it". He also recalls that the PP knocked down an initiative of the PSOE to constitute a report on the development of the Statute. And he urges Moreno's government to demand this transfer "formally" since it has approved requesting this transfer. Half an hour later, the PSOE, in another note, demanded that the Andalusian Government explain the justification for the proposal in the Statutory Development Commission.

The PSOE has also abstained from a proposal by Adelante on the reform of the financing system supported by the absolute majority of the PP. The popular group has pledged that the new model will include socioeconomic factors not currently contemplated such as "the population from 0 to 18 years old, the rate of population at risk of poverty, the unemployment rate or the temporary employment index". On the other hand, the PP rejected the PSOE's proposal to create a report in the Senate on the reform of financing.

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