​Government control session

Mariano Rajoy claims there will be "full transparency" in information on Ebola

2014.10.8

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Lower House of Parliament, Madrid

Mariano Rajoy acknowledged that this is an issue of concern to the people of Spain, "and rightly so". In response to a question from the General Secretary of the PSOE [Spanish Socialist Workers' Party], Pedro Sánchez, and in a statement in the corridors of the Lower House, he stated that the government's first instruction has been "to notify all information that is available to the public, and hence, for full transparency in the matter". In this regard, he added that the government "will promptly communicate each and every new aspect as it occurs".

Among the decisions and measures that have been adopted in the last 48 hours, the President of the Government highlighted the creation of a monitoring committee to guarantee coordination between those responsible at the Regional Government of Madrid and the Government of Spain, and also with the World Health Organization and the corresponding European institutions, "with whom there is ongoing dialogue on a daily basis".

He explained that the priorities are to attend to the person who has contracted the virus, monitor those who have been in contact with her, investigate why she contracted the virus and explain the circumstances in which it can be contracted to the public.

"What I would call for is to trust these professionals and allow them to do their work - they have a renowned track-record; Spanish healthcare is one of the best healthcare systems in the world", he argued. "And what they are telling me at this time, which is what I must convey to all of you, is that it is not easy to contract this disease, it is necessary to have direct physical contact with the carrier at an advanced stage, and what we need to do at this time is be watchful but remain calm", explained Mariano Rajoy, who expressed his conviction that "we will overcome this situation".

Investment in Catalonia

At the government control session and in response to a question from the MP for CiU [Convergence and Union], Pere Macias, who had enquired after investments in Catalonia contained in the General State Budget for 2015, Mariano Rajoy argued that they are positive for this region and for Spain as a whole, since this is the Budget of "economic consolidation", job creation and lower taxes. He also underlined the fact that Catalonia has grown more than the average.

Pool MoncloaThe President of the Government explained that in the public accounts for 2015, pensions account for 40% of expenditure, while the headings in relation to fostering job creation, R&D+i, culture and agriculture have all received higher allocations, whilst continuing to reduce the deficit and implement structural reforms.

Investment in Catalonia, he stated, is 19% higher than the previous year, with a 24% increase in highways, 27% in railways and 11% in airports.

Oil exploration

On another note, the President of the Government declared that the same environmental criteria are applied throughout the whole of Spain, in response to a question from the MP for the Mixed Group, Pedro Quevedo, on the oil drilling projects in the Balearic and Canary Islands respectively. "They are exactly the same anywhere in Spain, and exactly the same as applied anywhere in Europe, since the rules are established by European directive", he stressed.

Specifically as regards the authorisation for exploratory drilling in the Canary Islands, Mariano Rajoy argued that this benefits the region and the country as a whole, and pointed out that Spain is 99% dependent on overseas sources of hydrocarbons. "There is no risk, despite what some are saying, to tourism or the environment, as established in the environmental impact statement", he added.