The open war between central government and the Valencian due to the management of the crisis of DANAwhich has already caused more than 200 deaths, has already entered a new phase. Criticisms and reproaches, until now transmitted mainly to journalists by unofficial sources, are now intensifying publicly and are launched from interviews, press conferences or official declarations.
The political battle which followed the devastating floods of last week had as its protagonists this Monday two members of the Government of Pedro Sanchez and the president of the Generalitat Valenciana, Carlos Mazon.
The Minister of Defense, Marguerite Roblesand the Ministry of Ecological Transition which manages Therese Ribera They came forward after Mazón’s comments in an interview with COPE. The Valencian president indicated that the Hydrological Confederation of Júcar (CHJ), which depends on Ribera, deactivated “three times” the alert of risk of overflow last Tuesday (at 1:00 p.m., at 2:00 p.m. and at 4:00 p.m.). The warning message to the population, Mazón criticized, was sent half an hour after this alert. sent.
In a statement, the public body disavowed Mazón, saying that “among its powers he is not there to issue public alerts in hydrological matters” due to the risks of flooding because these “correspond to the emergency services coordinated by the autonomous communities”.
What the Generalitat criticizes is that the CHJ did not issue a new communication at 5 or 5:30 p.m., when, according to the Confederation in its press release, it detected a sudden increase in the flow of the Poyo ravine. He did it at 6:43 p.m., that is to say “he spent two and a half hours without communicating any warning”, deplores the Valencian government.
Between 4:13 p.m., when everything seemed to be back to normal, and 6:43 p.m., when the warning became “real danger”, the CHJ technicians did not communicate with the Generalitat Emergencies. Not even those who were gathered at that precise moment Integrated operational coordination center (CECOPI) with the authorities of Carlos Mazon.
Robles, against Mazón
The Minister of Defense also criticized the Generalitat and asked Mazón to “dedicate himself to coordinating well” the crisis because, in her opinion, “it is not as well coordinated as possible.”
Robles thus showed his discomfort with Mazón during his interview at COPE, where he also discussed the UME. The Valencian president assured that on Tuesday October 29 at 3:21 p.m., that is to say before the “meteorological revolution”, he had complained to the government unfold it and said he asked “all help possible”.
“The highest command of the EMU must have the ability to call Torrejon and that more troops are arriving “Because the President of the Generalitat does not ask for it”, he stressed. “From the moment EMU is activated, at 3:21 p.m., there is no longer any need for a political petition.”
Like the Hydrological Confederation of Júcar, the UME also tried to deny Mazón, this time through a press conference. The head of the EMU, Lieutenant General Javier Marcosappeared from La Moncloa and highlighted the autonomous responsibility of the Generalitat Valenciana so that its soldiers can intervene in the areas affected by DANA.
“I can have a thousand troops at the emergency gate, but I can’t legally go in until the emergency director authorizes me,” said the lieutenant colonel, who acknowledged that his unit does not had not intervened quickly.
National emergency
The government’s parliamentary partners and the opposition say Sánchez should have assumed full management of the crisis.
As? According to the PP, through the declaration of Emergency of national interest (level three), the highest measure of the scale provided by law. Until now it has remained at level two in which the Generalitat Valenciana is the one that bears the greatest responsibility.
Asked about this issue, Minister Félix Bolaños defended the current management model of DANA, in which the chain of command depends “on the autonomous authority”, because this is what experts advise and what the law dictates.
For the president of the PP, Alberto Nuñez Feijóo“in a national emergency, no government waits, but acts.” Feijóo’s criticisms repeat the same thesis as the report prepared by his party and put forward by EL ESPAÑOL. This document concludes that the Spanish government should have acted “in a spirit of national character“offer” resources to supraautonomic level“.
Also leader of Vox, Santiago Abascalcalled the disaster a “national emergency” and asked Sánchez to “fully deploy the army.”
According to CanInstead of national emergency, the alarm status before the “homicide management” of Mazón. Its general secretary, Ione Belarraregretted that Sánchez was content to “do nothing more than what an autonomous community demands.”
Furthermore, Commitments urged the government to immediately send all resources “whether Mazón requests it or not,” in the words of his spokesperson to Congress, Agueda Mico.
“Losing your autonomy”
According to the Government’s argument, during all meetings of the Civil defense Communities argued that it was up to them to take charge. He Home officeon its own initiative or at the request of the autonomous communities, may declare an emergency of national interest in accordance with article 28 of the Law of the National Civil Protection System.
“The question was debated within the National Civil Protection Commission, but neither the presidents of the Valencian Communitynor that of Murcia, Andalusia neither one nor the other Castile-La Mancha They called on the government to declare a national emergency. This would mean losing their autonomy.since the State would assume control of the situation,” assures the government.
The Executive also claims that Mazón himself never requested to reach level three.
Sources of Valencian generality counter-argue the position of Moncloa and they assure this newspaper that “you cannot fall into the trap” that it is Mazón “who must ask for help so that the State” intervenes. “At all.”
These same sources recall the standard included in the State operational organization guide for an immediate response to Civil Protection emergenciesl, prepared by the Ministry of the Interior. “It is necessary to provide external resources from the State to the Autonomous Community, to support the tasks of the action groups in the emergency area”, we read in the aforementioned document.
PP sources add: “In other words, the Generalitat Valenciana can and must request resources and means from the State, but the State must also make more means and more resources available to the Generalitat without she needs to ask for them, because the State is obliged to do it according to ministry standards.
