Entrepreneurs, local authorities and civil society in the provinces of Cuenca, Soria and Teruel have transmitted to senators the urgency to implement policies that promote rural areas, such as improving infrastructure or carrying out tax incentives to attract citizens and businesses.
Senate members have known the existing potential in these territories in order to reverse depopulation with appropriate investments.
The Special Committee of the Senate on the demographic evolution in Spain is committed “to reach a solution in the national strategy soon”. This has been the main message that the group of senators who have visited the provinces of Cuenca, Soria and Teruel (invited by SSPA network) have transmitted to businessmen, local authorities and civil society.
The SSPA, through its technicians, has shown on the ground the reality faced by these municipalities and has been explained how it is possible to reverse the process of depopulation with the model of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, through of a Territorial Development Agency.
For three days, from January 24 to 26, the senators visited various locations and held meetings to find solutions and talk about a new model of successful economic and demographic development for these provinces.
It has been fundamental that senators know the obstacles suffered by people, companies and the self-employed first hand. People involved have requested to give support to employers in the most disadvantaged areas because they comply with an important social service, maintaining activity and services in the villages. In addition to propose a differential tax treatment, they have transmitted the need to develop a strategy that promotes the rural environment as a place to live and work 365 days a year. For entrepreneurs, it is urgent to apply policies that promote the rural environment, such as improving communications and telecommunications or carrying out tax incentives to attract citizens and businesses.
Among other localities, they have crossed the Serranía and the Alcarria areas (Province of Cuenca); the Gúdar-Javalambre region (Province of Teruel); and Tierras del Burgo region (in Soria). Senators have also known the potentialities existing in these territories, which should be supported with the appropriate investments to reverse the depopulation.
The SSPA network, in the words of its coordinator Sara Bianchi, has positively valued this trip: “We have shown the senators the opportunities offered by our provinces, teaching them not only the most unpopulated territories, but also some examples to follow and support to generate wealth that fix population”. “All the parties that make up this Special Committee of the Senate have committed themselves to arrive soon at a solution in the National Strategy against depopulation and to achieve that we will continue working”.