"Now is the time for solutions, not recriminations", says Pedro Sánchez

Lower House of Parliament, Madrid

In his speech during the government control session in the Lower House of Parliament, Pedro Sánchez said that Spain acted before other European countries to combat the coronavirus by decreeing a State of Emergency on 14 March.

This was the reply from the President of the Government to the question asked by the leader of the Popular Parliamentary Group, Pablo Casado, who enquired about possible mistakes in management of the crisis caused by COVID-19. "There is no regional government, and I include the Government of Spain, no government beyond our borders that can say it has not made a single mistake", he said.

Pedro Sánchez argued that the "Government of Spain is doing the right thing". In this regard, he argued that advice was taken from scientists before implementing his policies, spaces for dialogue were opened with the regional governments, six conferences of heads of regional government were held and business leaders and trade unions were called to the table for social dialogue to agree economic measures aimed at dealing with a return to business for non-essential workers.

The President of the Government offered an agreement to Pablo Casado for the social and economic reconstruction of Spain and stressed that "now is the time for solutions, not recriminations".

Affordable price for face masks

In response to the question asked by the spokesman for the Republicano Parliamentary Group, Gabriel Rufián, the President of the Government described the fact that basic necessities for combating the virus, such as face masks, gloves and disinfectant gels, have become the subject of speculation and are now reaching such high retail prices as "unacceptable".

Pedro Sánchez stressed that the Government of Spain is working to "guarantee the supply and most affordable price possible for the public as a whole and especially for the most vulnerable groups", going on to say that an agreement on the top retail price for surgical face masks has already been reached.

The President of the Government said that the high cost of these protection measures during the pandemic has highlighted the need to increase domestic industrial capacity to guarantee supply and that this is one of the government's objectives.

In turn, Pedro Sánchez praised the public for "almost totally" complying with the rules put in place during the State of Emergency and reported the data on penalties and arrests imposed on those breaking the rules, who account for a little more than 1% and 0.01% of the total, respectively.

The Government of Spain supports democracy

The President of the Government told the Member of Parliament from the VOX Parliamentary Group, Santiago Abascal, that all the political traditions represented by the members of government are democratic and defend a society model in which there is room for all ideologies.

Furthermore, he stressed that every member of government has sworn loyalty to the King of Spain, and to complying with and enforcing the Spanish Constitution.

Non official translation