Speech by the President of the Government at the official opening of the extension of the LO-20 motorway and its connection with the A-12 Pamplona-Logroño motorway

Agoncillo (La Rioja)

Mr President of the Regional Government of La Rioja, Madam Minister for Public Works, Councillor for Public Works of the Regional Government of Navarre, government delegates, members of the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament, mayors, public officials, representatives of the media, dear friends,

As you know, improving infrastructure does not just mean carrying out large projects. It means, above all, bringing people together, bringing structure to regions and opening up channels to promote exchanges that benefit everyone. It is therefore, as it has been before, a great pleasure for me to be here today to attend the opening of two projects that are very important for La Rioja, Navarre and the whole of Spain, because each new section of road that opens represents a new axis for the prosperity of all.

So it is a good day, which brings good news for Navarre and La Rioja. And I hope that these infrastructure projects that, I believe, respond to people's real needs are going to fulfil their mission for many years and will serve to boost economic growth and enhance the welfare of the people, which at the end of the day is what it is about.

These will not be the only infrastructure projects to be started up this year. Also underway, as you know, are the project to connect the AP-68, the Basque-Aragon motorway, with the national highway 232 and the Logroño highway. These projects, together with those that come into service today, were a commitment to this region, so it causes me great satisfaction to say that this commitment has been fulfilled and that, in the end, the State budget has understood this.

I would also point out, on a very positive note, the excellent cooperation we have seen between the different tiers of government, the collaboration there has been between the Regional Governments of La Rioja and Navarre and the Government of Spain, because without this collaboration it would have been difficult for these two roads to enter into service. I therefore thank the President of the Regional Government of La Rioja for the interest shown in these projects and the Government of Navarre, represented here today, as I said before, by its Councillor for Public Works.

In relation to La Rioja, I would like to highlight that the commitment of the Ministry of Public Works, and so of the Government of Spain, will not end here. We have spent over 165 million euros in this term of office to improve the road network of La Rioja with landmark projects such as the 22 kilometres of the Camino de Santiago motorway, which entered into service during these years. And these milestones will be added to in the future with the sections of this highway that will connect Santo Domingo de la Calzada and Burgos, as well as the projects for the A-68 between Arrubal and Navarrete, the improvement of the national highway 232 in the Briones and Fuenmayor relief road, and the Villar de Arnedo relief road. It is an effort of the Ministry of Public Works that has cost 338 million euros in this term of office.

We are, in short, making an investment effort to create infrastructure that is socially and economically productive, in order to unite the country and improve the quality of life of its people. Undoubtedly, one of the major goals of any government, be it a local government, the government of an autonomous region or the government of a nation, in this case the government of Spain ... its main goal should always be to improve the level of wealth and welfare of the citizens. And to do so it is important, it is key, for there to be economic growth, and therefore activity, because that's what ends up creating jobs, which is what ultimately serves to maintain and enhance the great pillars of our Welfare State: our pension system, our health system, our education system, unemployment protection and the provision of social services to those who need them.

Economic growth and job creation have been the major goal of the government, and must remain so over a number of years because, undoubtedly, that is the key to progress; and for that many things are needed. Of course, we need good macro-economic figures, we need sound accounts, we need businessmen and entrepreneurs; we need to help them and we also need infrastructures, which are a key element for our country's competitiveness and therefore for generating welfare and wealth.

Whenever you see an infrastructure project, you should not only think of the comfort of the people, though that is also very important; you should furthermore think about what it means for the competitiveness of companies and therefore for the improvement and welfare of all.

I think Spain is a country that, in terms of both rail and road infrastructure, is one of the best in the European Union and one of the most advanced at a global level, though I think that many things still remain to be done. And I am very pleased that at this time, which has not been easy, when economic resources have been limited, when all tiers of government have had to tighten their belts and also when a significant majority of the Spanish people have had to make a major effort... even during this time we have continued to maintain the rate of investment in infrastructure because, I repeat, it is crucial for the improvement of welfare and employment.

Now a different stage is beginning in Spain, a stage in which there will be economic growth and there will be jobs. Last year, 2014, was the first year after seven years of negative growth and after seven years of job losses, in which Spain grew; and it was the first in which jobs were created in Spain.

I have to congratulate the Regional Government of La Rioja because on Friday the National Statistical Institute published data on economic growth in our country and La Rioja was the autonomous region of Spain that grew most in 2014. In 2014, it grew by 2.5% while Spain as a whole grew by 1.4%. This year Spain will grow by at least 2.4% and will create more jobs than it created last year.

All this is the result of many things: first, the effort of Spanish society; the interest of entrepreneurs; but also the fact that governments are able to make life easier for people. That is what these infrastructures are for, that is what all of them are for: to make life easier for people.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I would like to thank you for being here and I thank in particular the mayors, public officials, the Members of Parliament I see here today, because they have also collaborated with their interest, with their effort and with their pressure - in good sense of the word "pressure" - to make this infrastructure a reality. And I thank all you representatives of the media who are here today to report faithfully on it.

Thank you.