MADRID, 20 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The First Vice-President of the Government and Minister of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, Nadia Calviño, stated this Monday, in relation to the proposal by United We Can discount certain products in the shopping basket by 14%, that the measures that have been adopted by the Executive to reduce the price of food are being "effective" and "still have a long way to go."

"For three years we have been listening to many proposals, including those of the parties that are in the Government. From the Government what we do is act responsibly. Each measure is analyzed, we see what is the right moment or not. I interpret provided that they are all done with the best of wills, but these are very complex issues that can have a very significant impact on public finances", the vice-president pointed out.

Calviño, in statements to TVE collected by Europa Press, has stressed that, in this case, this bonus that Podemos asks for some shopping basket products "is not even agreed between the different political forces in the same area."

The vice president has insisted that the Government listen "carefully" to all the proposals, analyze whether or not they are viable and what impact they could have on prices, profits and business margins, their tax effect, avoiding measures that "may have a negative impact".

"Since the pandemic hit us, we have had to take so many measures to respond to what is urgent, I think that, when one looks back, we have hit the right measures at the right time and we have to continue in that line," Calviño said.

The vice president has indicated that the rise in energy and fertilizer prices "continues to have a significant impact" on the agri-food sector, but has stressed that the measures adopted by the Executive in December are being "effective" because the prices of Food affected by the VAT reduction already fell in the month of January.

Calviño also recalled that a couple of weeks ago a "very important" aid to farmers was launched to compensate them for the rise in fertilizer prices.

"These are measures that still have a long way to go and it seems very appropriate that today we meet with the entire value chain of the sector to see what the forecasts are for the coming months and how these measures are being transmitted," said the vice president in relation to the meeting that will be held this Monday by the Minister of Agriculture, Luis Planas, with supermarkets, distribution, industry and the primary sector within the framework of the Food Chain Observatory.