Government authorises emergency works to alleviate drought in Jucar river basin

Moncloa Palace, Madrid

The Council of Ministers made an exception to the order regulating the close of the budget execution published on 16 July by authorising various procurement procedures with the Ministries of the Treasury and Public Administration Services, of Home Affairs, and of Public Works.

The acting Vice-President of the Government, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, explained that this decision applies to issues that "are key for the general interest".

Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría highlighted that the contract for regular air transport subject to the public service obligations on the air route between Menorca and Madrid should be maintained during low season, as agreed on 15 June 2012.

These services, she argued, "are necessary for the transport service between different locations or to guarantee their provision under frequency, price, quality and universal conditions that are reasonably acceptable". Airline operators provide this service in the high season, but not in low season, responding to their own commercial interests.

The public tender authorised on Friday "allows the formalities to be concluded for a new procedure to offset the operating deficit of the airline operation" on this route, said the Vice-President of the Government.

The successful bidder will begin to provide the service on 1 October. The contract will have a term of 16 months and amount to 2 million euros.

Fight against drought

Pool Moncloa/J.M. CuadradoThe government authorised emergency works to carry out an investigation-pre-operating sounding in L'Esclapissada, in Villalonga (Valencia), for a sum of 350,000 euros, with the aim of combating the effects of the drought.

Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría pointed out that "the lack of rainfall over the last two years has led to an emergency situation that requires the incorporation of underground resources in order to guarantee minimum irrigation of existing tree plantations".

The Vice-President of the Government recalled that, in light of the serious drought situation in the Jucar and Segura river basins, the Council of Ministers approved two Royal Decrees on 8 May 2015 designed to "alleviate the social, environmental and economic effects of this situation". These measures were extended until the end of this month.

Spanish Embassy in Kabul

The government also authorised security works at the Spanish Embassy and Residence in Kabul to be contracted for a sum of 176,821 euros.

Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría pointed out that it is necessary to reinforce the embassy premises and the dwellings that house embassy staff, which were altered following the attack that took place last year and affected the embassy.

Given the instability in this city, she added, these premises will be reinforced with both material security measures (reinforced perimeter, construction of guard posts and panic rooms) and electronic measures in order to control the access of visitors. Security measures will also be stepped up in the building used as the Embassy Residence.

Current affairs

Pool Moncloa/J.M. CuadradoWhen asked about the consequences of a failed investiture and, in particular, the alternatives for the approval of the General State Budget for 2017, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría reiterated that "the government does not want to see a third round of elections", "we cannot tell our citizens that we have made them vote twice to no avail". Fresh elections are "prejudicial to our citizens and to democracy".

She also explained that a caretaker government is expressly prohibited from submitting draft bills to Parliament, including that relating to the Budget. "If we did this, it would be absolutely unlawful and unconstitutional". According to the Government Spokesperson, the need to have the Budget approved is one of the "clearest arguments for investing a government now", among other reasons, because 14 million people receive "some form of benefit through the Budget". "We need to take measures to ensure that the Spanish people do not have to pay out of their own pockets for the consequences of a Government of Spain not being formed", she remarked.

The Vice-President of the Government claimed that the employment and National Insurance contributor figures for the month of August, which saw a rise in unemployment and a decline in contributor numbers, do not break the positive trend of recent months, in which "unemployment has drastically fallen and NI contributor numbers have remained stable" since August is "a seasonally bad month".

As regards the measures adopted by the government after confirming two cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in our country, the Vice-President of the Government stressed that people should remain calm because the corresponding protocols have been activated, together with the coordination mechanisms with all of the autonomous regions, and these are exceptional cases that have taken place in "very particular and specific circumstances". Collaboration between the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality and the regional authorities of Madrid, where both cases were diagnosed, "is total and absolute", she added. She also reported that a technical committee of specialised experts has been set up and "the international health authorities have been informed", with whom we are in constant contact.