Our colleague Federico Quevedo continues to sound out the political spectrum, this time interviewing Pablo Montesinos, national MP and deputy secretary of Communication of the Popular Party. He talks about the future regional elections in Castilla y León and the “unequal” distribution of European funds by the Government, among other current issues.
Macro-farms up for debate
After the Minister for Consumer Affairs, Alberto Garzón, took a stance against macro-farms, the Popular Party criticizes the government’s division on the issue. Montesinos insists on the “political weakness of Pedro Sánchez, who balances to avoid upsetting his vice-president”.
Popular Party refers to the words of the Minister of Agriculture in which he acknowledged that the Minister of Consumer Affairs did not call him, “when he is the competent one in the matter”, according to Montesinos. The national MP also adds that the “disavowal of the government is absolute”. The deputy believes that the Ministry of Consumer Affairs should be eliminated. In fact, the Popular Party has taken different initiatives at national and regional level to dismiss the minister in recent days.
Pablo Montesinos criticizes the damage done to the Spanish livestock sector. In addition, with a view to the elections in Castilla y León, the Popular Party deputy insists that the Socialist Party will feel this blow because “the citizens are very disappointed”.
Regional elections
On 13 February, regional elections will be held in Castilla y León, and Andalucía is likely to be next. According to Pablo Montesinos, “the President of Andalucía, Juanma Moreno, wants to use up the legislature as much as possible”.
In Castilla y León, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco’s –Regional President- decision “was very brave”, as Pablo Montesinos points out, “due to the manifest instability of Ciudadanos’ maneuvers“. Today, as the MP reports, the Popular Party would have an absolute majority in Castilla y León. The intention is to repeat what happened in the last elections in the Community of Madrid or Galicia of “governing alone”, as Montesinos insists.
Change of political cycle
Pablo Montesinos affirms that the “change of political cycle is being demonstrated by the facts” and that “Pedro Sánchez has an exhausted project”. The PP deputy insists that “the elections in Castilla y León are very important” for the Popular Party. There will be a succession of elections in which, according to the deputy, “the PP will win because we are the leading political force”. Montesinos adds that “in the last PP steering committees, the national leader, Pablo Casado, insists on, in addition to opposition work, showing proposals because there is an alternative ready to govern”.
Distribution of European funds
The Community of Madrid announced in recent days that it will take the government to court over the distribution of European funds. This initiative has now been joined by five other communities. Pablo Montesinos explains how the events that have taken place have resulted in the “handing out of funds by hand”.
Elvira Rodríguez, head of the Partido Popular’s economic department, will monitor the funds with the information provided by the government, because “there is no independent authority – as proposed by the leader of the PP, Pablo Casado – to provide transparency in the distribution of funds”. The PP is also working with local councils from the territorial vice-secretariat to find out about problems in the distribution of funds.
Pandemic situation
Pablo Montesinos insists on giving legal certainty to the Autonomous Communities to deal with the pandemic. He added that “we must help health workers because they are exhausted”.
Through ‘El Balance’, a program hosted by Federico Quevedo on Capital Radio, Influence Spain is able to expand its network of contacts within the national, regional and municipal spectrum.
