Pedro Sánchez announces a Special Plan for the Reconstruction of La Palma to combat the volcanic emergency on the island

The head of the Executive has informed of the creation of a Joint Committee for the execution of this Special Plan, which will include representatives of all the administrations - Government of Spain, Government of the Canary Islands, La Palma City Hall and the town councils of Los Llanos de Aridane, El Paso and Tazacorte.

Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa"The people of La Palma should know that they will have the support of all their administrations and all the tools of the State", he pointed out.

In turn, the Government will immediately activate an inter-ministerial group led by the Minister for the Presidency, Parliamentary Relations and Democratic Memory, Félix Bolaños, and charged with coordinating all the measures required by the different ministries.

"The power of science has allowed us to save lives on La Palma and the power of the State will allow us to rebuild the daily lives of the inhabitants of this marvellous island," said the president, while stressing the unity of action of all the administrations in the recovery and reconstruction of the damage caused by the volcanic eruption.

Urgent measures and future measures

Sánchez has also detailed some of the characteristics of the Special Plan, which will include rapid action measures to alleviate damage whose repair requires greater urgency, and future measures to design a structural strategy that will be activated once the volcano ceases its activity with the aim of recovering the situation prior to the eruption.

Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la BellacasaIn this way, and as part of this battery of rapid action measures, next Tuesday the Council of Ministers will approve an exceptional declaration of an area affected by a civil protection emergency on the island of La Palma. Even with the volcano active and not yet able to determine the extent of the damage to be repaired, this will be the first immediate action measure.

This exceptional declaration will be accompanied by a series of measures that will translate into immediate aid for housing, basic necessities, maintenance and supply of irrigation systems, restoration of mobility and transport of people and goods, businesses and companies affected. This aid will also include a specific regulation of ERTEs on the island to protect the employment of those who have been affected by the volcanic emergency.

At the same time, Sánchez has announced the approval of a Royal Decree Law as a structural measure to deal with the damage in the affected areas once the eruption has ceased. This Royal Decree Law will include:

• Urban planning measures and effective resourcing to rebuild destroyed urban environments
• Measures to provide a definitive and personalised solution for citizens who have lost their primary residence.
• An infrastructure plan to restore mobility throughout the island
• An agricultural infrastructure plan to restore the irrigation network on agricultural holdings.
• An energy plan that foresees electricity transmission and distribution lines through the most protected areas of the island and favours the implementation of renewable energies.
• A plan to relaunch tourism on the island

A Conference of Presidents on La Palma

The President of the Government of Spain also took the opportunity to announce that the next Conference of Presidents, the highest body for collaboration between the State and the regional governments, will be held on La Palma in December, bringing together the head of the Executive and the presidents of all regional and city governments.

Since his arrival on La Palma last Sunday, the day of the eruption, the president has participated in the PEVOLCA Steering Committee daily, has visited the areas affected by the volcanic emergency and has met with the regional and local administrations to coordinate the emergency arrangements that remain active on the island.

Non official translation