Andorra la VellaThis past Thursday, the General Council has dismissed theamendment in its entirety presented by Andorra Endavant against him Sustainable growth and right to housing billa key regulation that seeks to respond to the housing crisis in the Principality. The proposal of Carine Montaner intended to return the text to the Government to be redone, arguing that it contains “excessively interventionist” measures that could put private property and the equilibrium of the real estate market at risk.
Highlander pointed out that the law includes elements that generate legal uncertaintysuch as the mandatory transfer of empty flats. In addition, he criticized the lack of results of the tax on vacant homes, accusing the executive “of going blind” due to the lack of reliable data.
According to the leader ofAndorra Go aheadthe project may discourage foreign investment, which has been key to maintaining the private housing stock. In this sense, he proposed alternatives such as zero-interest loans to rehabilitate flats or a stricter review of authorizations for non-resident investors.
The omnibus law provides for more control of shell companies
The head of government, Xavier Spotresponded to criticism, defending that the project not only complies with constitutional principles, but is a balanced text between the right to property, sustainability and the right to decent housing. spot he recalled that 17 of the 20 measures included in the law come from consensual agreements in the monographic debate on housing last year, and he accused Montaner’s speech of “alarmism” and “poor arguments”.
What is intended with this amendment is to delay an essential project that includes measures expected by citizens. It’s a political mistake”
The Head of Government remarked that, despite being ambitious, the text is “realistic” and which responds both to the electoral commitments and to the mandates arising from the transversal agreements in the General Council.
A transcendental problem
The debate showed the different views on how to approach the problem of housing. from concord, Cerni Escalé criticized the way in which the law has been processed, describing it as too transversal and inefficient from a legislative point of view.
In addition, Concordia warned of the increase in illegal immigration and highlighted the need to reflect on the impact of maintaining the lowest tax standards in Europe. Despite the criticism, he showed a willingness to work on the text with partial amendments.
The P.Srepresented by Peter Baroncriticized the law as not sufficiently protecting either the middle class or small property owners, although he abstained from the vote for “responsibility.” He argued that it was more useful to work in legislative committees than to waste time on full amendments.
On the other hand, from the majority, Democrats i Engaged Citizens they defended the Government’s proposal. Jordi Jordan he recalled that measures such as the return of empty flats to the market already had prior consensus and rejected criticism of interventionism, emphasizing that the regulations are proportionate and adjusted to needs.
On the other hand, Carlos Naudi (CC) stressed that foreign investment has been essential for the growth of the real estate park and described the Government’s measures as practical and necessary to balance the market.
All in all, the omnibus bill moves forward to legislative debate with limited but firm support from the majority, while opposition groups maintain pressure to introduce amendments that better respond to the diverse social and economic sensitivities of the country