In the control session of the Government held in the Lower House of Parliament, and in response to the deputy Teresa Jordà, the chief executive of the Republican Parliamentary Group stressed his "firm preparedness and dialogue with the rural sector". Pedro Sánchez also expressed the government's "total empathy" with farmers and livestock farmers "because we are not only talking about climate change, but also about the pernicious effects the war in Ukraine and the geopolitical instability we are going through is having on fertilisers and other inputs". He also advocated "persuasive action regarding their just demands before the EU institutions in Brussels".
To this effect, the President of the Government of Spain has announced that he will strengthen the food chain law approved in the last legislature, which he described as "one of the main laws transforming" the agro-industrial sector, and a regulation "that has brought justice and transparency to the entire food value chain".
Sánchez has also pledged to continue the work already being carried out by the Executive to facilitate adaptation to EU regulations, simplify the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), implement the 'mirror clauses' - which seek to require imported products to meet the same production conditions as those required in the EU - and move towards food sovereignty in Europe.
Aid to the agricultural sector
The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, during his speech at the control session of the Government held in the Lower House of Parliament | Pool Congreso
In his reply to Santiago Abascal, a member of the VOX Parliamentary Group, the President of the Government reviewed the aid that has been deployed to support the countryside, starting with the €4 billion earmarked for the primary sector from 2022 to alleviate the effects of the drought and the rise in energy and input prices.
Sánchez also referred to the €1.38 billion in direct aid, the €2.8 billion dedicated to the modernisation of irrigation in Spain, the €6.8 billion obtained in Brussels through the CAP - of which €4.8 billion is direct aid to agricultural and livestock farms, benefiting 620,000 farmers and livestock farmers - and the support for agricultural insurance.
In his reply, the chief executive also stressed the importance of ecological transition policies for a sector that is being directly affected by the consequences of climate change.
Political pluralism and territorial diversity
The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, during his speech at the control session of the Government held in the Lower House of Parliament | Pool Congreso
Pedro Sánchez has defended his government's commitment to coexistence, in response to a question posed by the Popular Party deputy Alberto Núñez Feijóo. "It is the only way to govern this country: either Spain's political pluralism and territorial diversity are understood, or Spain is not understood," he said.
Likewise, the President of the Government recalled the good data on the growth of the Spanish economy, which is five times higher than the average for the Eurozone, and the record level of employment.
The executive, he said, is working on three fundamental aspects. First, employment, which has allowed the number of people in work to exceed 21 million; second, rights, with measures such as the 5% increase in the Minimum Interprofessional Wage approved yesterday, to €1,134 per month; and last, everything related to coexistence in Catalonia.
Non official translation
The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, during his speech at the control session of the Government held in the Lower House of Parliament (Pool Congreso)
