Darío Villagrasa, a socialist deputy, has publicly condemned the government of Jorge Azcón for allocating more than five million euros to institutional advertising while simultaneously cutting the budget of the General Directorate of Heritage by 30% compared to 2024. He noted that only 2.5 million euros are earmarked for investments in Aragón's cultural heritage.
Villagrasa made these remarks during a press conference following the appearance of the second vice president, Mar Vaquero, at the Finance Commission of the Cortes de Aragón, where she presented the budgets for her department, which encompasses Presidency, Justice, Culture, and Sport.
The socialist parliamentarian expressed concern that the 2027 budget reflects the regional government's prioritisation of propaganda over addressing the real needs of the people of Aragón. He lamented the triumphant tone of the vice president and pointed out that the Azcón government has a budget of 9.594 billion euros, which is 750 million euros more than the only budget approved by the PP during this legislature and 1.335 billion euros more than the last socialist budget from 2023.
Despite this increase in resources, Villagrasa criticised the lack of a decisive commitment to public services, culture, and regional cohesion. In the cultural sector, he noted that support for Aragón's creators remains at nearly the same levels as in 2023, with insufficient commitments to performing arts, film, the book sector, museums, and rural festivals.
He also highlighted that cuts are affecting other areas within the department, including an 8% reduction in the Aragonese Institute for Women and a 10% cut in citizen participation. While acknowledging some advancements in free legal aid, he pointed out that the 99 million euros allocated is less than in 2023 and 2024, calling for increased investment in judicial facilities and technological modernisation.
Regarding sports, Villagrasa recognised the budget increase to 16 million euros but criticised the lack of support for grassroots sports and the provision of specific subsidies to certain municipalities. He announced that the PSOE will propose amendments to establish a competitive grant system to ensure equal opportunities among municipalities.
Villagrasa compared the regional government's budget to the film Los olvidados by Aragonese filmmaker Luis Buñuel, citing a lack of ambition and commitment to culture, heritage, and rural areas. He concluded that the budget presented by Vice President Mar Vaquero 'needs improvement' and assured that the PSOE will present alternative proposals to better utilise available resources and meet the needs of Aragón. He believes the regional government still has time to rectify its course and prevent the largest budget in history from becoming a missed opportunity.
