© EFE
Sánchez removing the masks. (EFE/Ballesteros)
The use of the mask outdoors will continue to be mandatory. The Government already has the necessary support to extend the decree-law that it approved following the last Conference of Presidents and that entered into force on Christmas Eve. And it will do so thanks to the support of its main reference partners, who will either support the measure or abstain. The measure will remain in force not without double criticism: on the one hand, the majority of parliament does not see the need to do so. But, on the other hand, the Executive included in the decree the so-called ‘paguilla’ of pensioners and the allies of the PSOE and United We Can have had no choice but to save the decree.
The PNV will vote in favor of maintaining the mandatory use of a mask. We will do it, they say from the group led by Aitor Esteban, “guided by the principle of prudence”. However, they add that the procedure used, by “mixing in the same text other matters that, undoubtedly, also condition the vote”, is not the best. The PNV, in addition, will request processing as a Bill “to modify the authorization that is contemplated for the Spanish Government so that, for the sake of supposed agility, it can decide regarding the use of the mask.” “We believe that, precisely, and due to the asymmetric incidence of the virus, it should be the Autonomous Communities that have this authorization to, with agility, establish the measure when it is considered appropriate”, consider the ‘jeltzales’.
ERC, for its part, will abstain, indicate sources from the group led by Gabriel Rufián. And EH Bildu will do the same, despite the fact that in their day those of Mertxe Aizpurua were very critical of the decree of masks abroad. However, having included the revaluation of pensions, they cannot vote no, they consider. JxCAT, for its part, will also vote abstention, thus guaranteeing that the Government has more yeses than noes, according to the conclusion of the socialist group.
Those who have finally left have not been More Country. Íñigo Errejón has assured that his training transmitted to the Government that “the obligation to wear a mask outdoors was absurd and counterproductive.” In addition, “camouflaging” it with pension issues is inadmissible for them.” “It will not have our vote,” he concludes.
The PP, for its part, will also vote no, despite the fact that in the last few hours some deputy from communities that did validate the decision in their day has been critical. The group led by Cuca Gamarra continues to demand reports that justify the decision. Vox and Ciudadanos will also reject the decree.
In this way, the end of outdoor masks will have to wait, as told in this newspaper. It was one of the most controversial decisions and cost Moncloa a few hours of nervousness. Pedro Sánchez announced it, once morest the criteria of the technicians, at the beginning of the last Conference of Presidents, held on December 22. The return of the measure triggered a good number of critics. However, the Government, supported by the opinions of the majority of communities, considered its implementation necessary to stop the expansion of the omicron variant. Now, 30 business days later, the Executive has managed to secure the necessary votes this Tuesday.
The mask decree was, in effect, an ‘omnibus’ rule, which included a proposal regarding pensions, something totally unrelated to the “urgent prevention and containment measures to deal with the health crisis” caused by covid -19, which was the subject of the decision approved by the Council of Ministers. It was through the first final provision where it was decided to modify Law 11/2020, of December 30, on the General State Budget for the year 2021 and approve the updating of non-contributory, minimum or widow’s pensions, among others, through a single payment that the beneficiaries will have to receive before April 1, 2022. This extra payment for the aforementioned group of pensioners makes, in the opinion of the opposition, “essential” to save the decree.
And when to eliminate the obligation of masks outdoors? The Government does not yet have a closed date. But it has negotiated with its usual partners that the decision will be made when this sixth wave caused by the omicron variant subsides. It might be within a month, two… The Ministry of Health is still not clear when to relax the rule that was, and continues to be, so unpopular.
