The Minister of Territorial Policy and spokeswoman for the Government, Isabel Rodríguez, has highlighted the importance of this day for those of us who have memory, especially, for the residents of the Costa da Morte. “It is an honor to be here and to express, on behalf of the Government of Spain, our gratitude to the fishermen and shellfish farmers of Camariñas and the other affected municipalities, the first to roll up their sleeves to clean the coast.”
Isabel Rodríguez, who attended the institutional event in Camariñas on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Prestige disaster, has added more recognitions two decades later: “To all the volunteers who worked hard to remove the chapapote. To all the institutions, entities and citizen movements involved in the recovery of this area. And to the neighbors and neighbors of the affected municipalities.”
Isabel Rodríguez has focused the work of the Government on two objectives: “Protect and move forward. Protect the public and move towards an ecological transition. We have had to face different crises. The pandemic, before. Now, the war in Ukraine. We’re not going to lower our arms. We take action, we face reforms and we protect people.”
The minister has assured that today we are better than 20 years ago in social and political awareness, with more means and resources, with more experience and with responses to crises: “This government has had to manage several crises, but we have rolled up our sleeves to be the first and side with the solutions. And this country has given the best version of itself, being united, and the State protecting us all, with RTAs, aid for self-employed workers, ICO credits, betting on science and the centralized purchase of vaccines, claiming public health, which is also being questioned today, but it was the health personnel who saved us from the crisis and protected us all.”
A government commitment that also includes Galicia, the Galicians and the Galicians: “We are still by your side, hand in hand, as we were 20 years ago. That is politics, offering solutions that make life easier for citizens and take care of our environment. When a problem arises, the obligation of the government and public institutions is to show our face, reach out and offer solutions,” he added.
This Government elevates ecological policy to State policy: “Proposing an alternative to fuels, leading the new energies. While there are still public officials who deny the evidence, this government fights climate change and its consequences,” he reiterated.