Cuban Parliament Economic Commission Addresses Crucial Issues

Havana, Dec 16 (ACN) The report at the Cuban Parliament’s Economic Commission of the estimated figures closing the 2024 performance of Cuban economy and the unfulfillment of production schedules, raised a rich debate among lawmakers on Monday.

Cuban Economy minister Joaquin Alonso presented the year’s preliminary results, which revealed that the country had to resort to what was known as a “wartime economy” due to the strengthening of the US economic blockade, the multi-dimension crisis and a shortage of hard currency.

As to the 2025 economic plan, the minister said that it will be favored with additional sources and internal reserves plus the results of international coordination with friendly nations.

The lawmakers spoke their minds targeting the role of the municipal governments in addressing priorities, such as food production, to replace costly imports, reduce inflation and skyrocketing prices of foods and services, and secure hard-currency income throu the encouragement of exports.

Deputy Prime Minister Ricardo Cabrisas recalled that if the country used to receive 85 percent of the goods it needed from the Socialist Camp decades ago, today’s scenario is very different and complex, marked by the US’s hostile policy, so it is the municipalities who must meet their locally pressing demands.

Several lawmakers put forth their concerns about the allocation of fuels to carry out diverse transportation tasks, the lack of payment to producers who offer their goods and services to certain entities, the treatment of inefficient state-companies and how the country can recover its sugar production.
Foreign Trade and Investment minister Oscar Perez-Oliva addressed the need for export companies to receive the benefit of their own activity and that main resources should go to those areas where wealth is generated.

The 2025 Economic Plan and State Budget are also on the table for debates before submitted for the approval by lawmakers gathered at the Fourth Session of the Cuban National Assembly of People’s Power 10th Legislature to open on December 18th at Havana’s Conventions Center.