© EFE
A central street in Valencia full of passers-by with a mask. (EFE/Biel Aliño)
The PP faces its contradictions on what measures need to be taken to contain the pandemic. The parliamentary group remains firm in the “no” to the validation of the decree on the use of masks outdoors, a text that the Government of Pedro Sanchez has become a kind of decree ‘trap’, seasoning it with measures such as the revaluation of pensions or the hiring of toilets to make it difficult to vote once morest the rest of the forces. However, numerous popular deputies admit that it is “nonsense” to vote once morest a measure that they publicly requested and endorsed regional presidents such as Andalusia, Galicia or Castilla y León. In fact, they insist that until the inter-parliamentary meeting on Tuesday is over, which will bring together the representatives that the PP has in Congress and the Senate and that it will preside Paul Married, the decision “is not made”. Sources close to the leadership of the popular group, however, insist on the “no” and dismantle these criticisms.
It is clear that contradictions make deputies uncomfortable of those communities in which, before the Government approved it on December 23, it had been publicly requested that the use of masks be re-imposed outdoors due to the outbreak of cases due to the omicron variant. It was requested by the Andalusian president, John Manuel Moreno, and Galician, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, before Sánchez decreed the return of a tremendously unpopular measure without scientific backing, which caused a great stir and rejection of public opinion. Altogether they were seven presidents who requested the measure in the face of the avalanche of coronavirus cases at the gates of Christmas. Castilla y León and Navarra joined their counterparts from Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha, the Valencian Community, Galicia and the Basque Country before the telematic meeting of the Conference of Presidents.
© Provided by El Confidencial
Masks: the contemplative passivity of the Government
It is obvious that no restriction is going to be adopted to everyone’s taste. But it is essential that the rulers can provide a good scientific handle to hold on to ask for new efforts from the population
From the popular parliamentary group they insisted yesterday on the “no” to the validation of the decree, which will be voted on February 1 in the term limit for its approval in Congress, it is 30 days from its entry into force. They allege that the Government has not provided them technical or scientific criteria support the proposal and calls for expert reports.
internal discussion
However, deputies consulted by this newspaper agreed to leave open the position of the popular. “It’s nonsense.” “We’ll see”. “It’s incongruous.” “The discussion is open and it will not be closed until the very day of the vote.” “That ‘no’ can change”. “We cannot confirm the position because it has not been discussed.” These were some of the answers slipped by representatives of the PP in Congress before the group’s position and warned that in their territories the use of masks outdoors had been publicly requested and endorsed. The discomfort is also palpable in some of the executives who defended this measure, who admit the inconsistency and would prefer their party to abstain.
The parliamentary group spokesperson, Cuca Gamarra, has publicly defended the PP’s “no” to the validation of that decree, assuring that the Government had not sent the technical reports that supported that decision. Experts from communities such as Andalusia were inclined in their day to adopt measures such as the covid passport in hotels and health and social health centers and defended the importance of both measures to prevent contagion, in the case of masks, and promote vaccination.
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Will we always end up wearing a mask on top?
The approved, nuanced, eliminated, reimposed and breached rules of the last two years have left us perplexed by being aware of their enormous arbitrariness
It is not known if these deputies will open the debate with Casado at the head of the interparliamentary, but the inconsistency of the PP is a clamor in its own ranks, aware that in the case of the territories where the autonomous governments have endorsed and maintain this measure they undermine their own presidents on a sensitive issue. At a press conference, asked if he believes it is logical for the PP to reject the validation of outdoor masks requested by the Andalusian Government itself, the advisor to the presidency, Elijah Bendodo, avoided the political controversy and assured, on three occasions, that they refer to the advice of the experts in the Technical Committee that advises Health for the adoption of measures during the pandemic. A group that will meet once more in the coming days and will advise on the decision whether or not to maintain its use in the coming weeks. In their day, they asked for it without hesitation.
From Galicia, the Board from Feijóo insisted that they continue betting on the use of masks outdoors. Feijóo as Moreno was one of the first to ask for the use of the protector outdoors to return when the sixth wave The numbers of infections began to shoot up and before Christmas parties that were going to entail large crowds in the streets and celebrations.
Other PP communities like Madrid se were in favor of the use of masks outdoors when there is crowds. “Our criterion, as we have repeated since December, is that the proper use of the mask is essential indoors and outdoors when it is not possible. keep the safety distance. The Community of Madrid considers that it should be kept outdoors, especially in the event of a concentration or agglomeration of people. While in interior spaces, adequate ventilation is also very important to guarantee air quality, ”added sources from the regional government.
© Provided by El Confidencial
Sánchez unleashes confusion by imposing the use of masks on the street without scientific endorsement
Moncloa announced the mandatory nature of outdoor protectors and, three hours later, following a wave of criticism, backed down by establishing exceptions. Fines of 100 euros are foreseen
Although the president of Murcia, Fernando Lopez Miras, defended last December that it would only have been necessary for the regulations then in force were complied with, that is to say, wear a mask outdoors As long as the safety distance might not be respected, regional government sources point out that the final decision is up to the central government. However, these same voices insist that a measure of these characteristics would have to be agreed upon by the communities as a whole.
After the Conference of Presidents, Lopez Miras ended up assuming the return of the masks outdoors, although he transferred to Sánchez the need to impose a series of exceptions. Thus, the Murcian president was in favor of regulating the use of the protection element in certain contexts. “The situation in rural areas is not the same as in urban agglomerations,” he defended then, like many other leaders who had demanded the return of masks to the streets.
Sanitary and pensions
The debate on the validation of the decree will be on Tuesday followingnoon, upon completion of the deadline, and not on Thursday as it is with labor reform. PP, Cs and Vox have positioned themselves once morest outdoor masks, a position in which Foro Asturias and Unión del Pueblo Navarro will also possibly be. ERC, PNV and Bildu they have not publicly cleared the meaning of their vote, although from the Government they take it for granted that they will join. Compromís or Más País might lean towards abstention, at the time they received this measure with reservations.
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The Government is rooted: mask when leaving the house except to play sports or in the field
The Royal Decree-Law that has been approved by the Council of Ministers states that protection will be mandatory at all times abroad in cities. It will be a temporary measure
The decree has been seasoned with other provisions, which make positions even more difficult of opposition groups. A provision allows retired toilets who have been rescued to fill vacancies in the pandemic be able to reconcile this activity with his pension. It is also allowed to temporarily hire health professionals from countries outside the EU during the peaks of the pandemic to reinforce the exhausted health workforce.
The decree law provides for the CPI update of pensions non-contributory, minimum or widowhood, among others, through a single payment that the beneficiaries will have to receive before April 1 of this year.