The president of the Popular Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, traveled this Friday to his native Galician land to participate, in Santiago, in an informative breakfast organized by the Confederation of Businessmen of Galicia (CEG), focused on the debate on the socio-economic panorama of the Galician Community, the challenges and opportunities of its productive and industrial fabric. They will debate it at length during the rest of the day, but, in his opening speech, the popular man wanted to abandon the question momentarily to concentrate on another: relief and rehabilitation works in areas of Spain damaged by DANA, and the legal mechanisms which define the facilities, or difficulties, experienced by the people who reside there. For Feijóo, it is clear: the rapid reconstruction of infrastructure and the reactivation of its economic activity must be a priority. And, for this, it is advisable to adjust taxes and bet on businesses as an economic engine.
Feijóo began his speech by emphasizing the “pleasure” of “being at home”: “To be, not to return, because Galicia always goes with the Galicians, we always carry Galicia with us”. He retraced his journey: “There have been 19 years in Galicia: two in the mandate of Manuel Fraga, four in the opposition and thirteen in the Community government. “Practically two decades of my life.” This Friday, his presence had a clear meaning: “to reflect”, in common with the sector, on questions which, he believes, “when we get used to them, we do not give them the importance that they have”. He thus mentioned, by quoting them, the economic, social and political stability of Galicia, thematic focus of the meeting. But, before opening this conference, his speech took an abrupt turn.
“We all have in our hearts what happened in the Valencian Community” and the “very difficult” accidents that continue to occur, such as the one that recently occurred in Zaragoza. “We suffered more than 220 deaths during the floods in Albacete and Andalusia (…). We are shocked by these events. It was exciting to see the presidents of the regional governments, the mayors, how everyone mobilized (…) and aid was sent from anywhere in Spain without Valencia having to ask for it. The best of each autonomous community was offered”: material but also human resources. Something which becomes “logical” in a country shocked by tragedy, but which “more than that, it is human”.
Rejecting any “inaction, waiting or omission to help others”, he thanked the solidarity, collaboration and “strengthening of unity” displayed. And he sends a message: “Let this response be extended as long as necessary, “So that the victims do not feel forgotten after a few weeks.” A request that he transmitted to the businessmen present, but also to all public administrations, “in particular” the Generalitat Valenciana and the General Administration of the State.
According to him, the response must be “immediate” and come “in the form of criticism and self-criticism”. “We must embrace the lessons we have learned from this tragedy; “Study the successes and mistakes in the chains of command,” said the popular president. And, with a view to the reconstruction of the affected areas, a process which, he warned, will be “long and very hard”, he prescribed “rapid decisions”. “There will be no room for error in the efforts already made; people are not going to accept them. “I am sure that the President of the Generalitat will get involved,” he encouraged. This was his way of presenting his proposal: that “adjustments” be applied according to the needs that now prevail in the affected areas.
For example, having lost, he estimates, “more than 100,000 vehicles”, he understands that it would be “absurd to tell a citizen that he will be compensated by the insurance provision”. If he could not change it before the flood, he will hardly be able to change it after losing his possessions. He pleaded for a plan for people affected by the ERE or ERTE, enable them to perceive their benefits in an agile manner; for the tax remission or deferral, such as income tax or income tax, directly related to the material damage suffered; and to also address the case of people who were present when the damage occurred, even if they were not residents of these municipalities.
“There will be no reconstruction without economic activity (…), and the best way to restore normality is for public services to function, but also businesses,” warned Feijóo, calling it a “serious error” of the government “have left aside” to the companies of the Valencian Community. “I have never seen a disaster of this magnitude. A national crisis and an impact on infrastructure, inefficiency after foreseeing what could happen and what which happened; and lack of commitment to a national emergency which the Government, with all the logistical capacities it could have deployed, achieved partially and remotely,” he declared.
