The Diplomat in Spain

The Minister García-Margallo, in Congress.

The Diplomat. Madrid

At the beginning of the parliamentary debate on the State General Expenditure for 2016 yesterday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel García-Margallo, expressed his “annoyance” at the elimination of the item that had, until now, defrayed the cost of an annual home visit for diplomats and their families serving overseas. 

This cut had already been rejected in August by the Spanish Diplomats Association (ADE) which includes some 60% of the currently serving diplomats. The Minister García-Margallo did not mention anyone in particular as the culprit behind this move but the ADE had no hesitation in pointing the finger at Cristóbal Montoro’s department.

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The PSOE criticised the Estimates as being “insufficient to meet Spanish overseas commitments”

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This reaction by Margallo was the only notable feature of Estimates whose details were already known. The Foreign Affairs Estimates increase to 1.366 million euros (72,87 million more than in 2015, which is a rise of 5,63%) and in it the item on current expenses has fallen to 117,9 million, in other words 12,7 million less than a year ago (which means a saving of  9,77%). The Minister explained that this saving is ” a result of the centralisation of several service contracts”.

Margallo also used the occasion to recall that the accumulated savings over the course of this legislature in current  expenses was 65 million euros. The principal reductions were in leasing (10 million, mainly on buildings), communications (12), transport (8,5), formal and representational expenses  (3,7) and compensation for service reasons (almost 5 million), which includes the above mentioned item ending the right to a defrayed home holiday journey for service personnel and their family who wished to return to Spain, once a year.

For her part, the PSOE spokeswoman, the former minister Trinidad Jiménez, criticised the Estimates for being “insufficient to meet Spain’s overseas commitments and the tumultuous situation Spain was experiencing as a result of the refugee crisis in Europe. Jiménez accused the Government of carrying out a “cutting and dismantling” policy in respect of Cooperation for Development. .