The plenary session of the Canary Islands Parliament has rejected, with the votes of CC, PP, Vox, ASG, and AHI, the political parties that form or support the regional government, the extension of the fuel discount applied in El Hierro, La Palma, and La Gomera to the islands of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, as proposed by the PSOE.
PSOE deputy Manuel Hernández Cerezo argued for applying a fuel discount in Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, similar to the one in effect in the western islands, where there is a 20-cent discount applied to every litre of petrol and diesel purchased.
However, the other parties, while acknowledging the possibility of compensation in the eastern islands, stated that it should be based on a study with "accurate data," such as the ongoing one conducted by the government, rather than "rough estimates."
The PSOE deputy rejected the government groups' intention to defer the fuel discount in Fuerteventura and Lanzarote until reports are conducted or observatories are established, arguing that there are already sufficient data provided by the Canary Islands Institute of Statistics (Istac).
Cerezo said, "There is no lack of data, but political will," adding that in his opinion, the government has failed to prevent the market from absorbing half of the discount in the green islands, harming residents and public coffers.
Yone Caraballo from Nueva Canarias accused the government groups of pitting islands against each other by applying discounts only to the smaller islands and not to the Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, however, according to Jana González from CC, privileges are not being granted to the smaller islands but measures are being introduced to ensure equality among all islands.
González emphasised that the government will study the market in all islands to improve the application of aid based on "accurate data" and determine the differentials and corresponding discounts for each island.
