Called to explain herself before the Spanish Parliament by the Popular Party (PP, right), which threatened to block her appointment in Brussels, the socialist leader made a point of saluting “the work and dedication of the civil servants” involved in the warning preceding the bad weather.
The latter “issued the necessary information”, “as it was their duty”, declared the minister, judging “deeply unfair and profoundly dangerous” the criticisms of which public agencies are the target because of the floods which caused at least 227 dead.
Since the disaster, which according to the Bank of Spain could cost the Spanish economy 0.2 points of growth, the government of socialist Pedro Sánchez and the regional executive of Valencia, led by the Popular Party (right), have accuse each other of having failed in the management of the alert and relief, much criticized by the victims.
In Spain, a very decentralized country, disaster management is the responsibility of the regions. But the central government, responsible for issuing alerts via the National Meteorological Agency (Aemet), can provide resources and take control in extreme cases.
This tense political context had pushed the right to block the nomination procedure of Ms. Ribera, who must occupy one of the highest positions within the future Commission chaired by Ursula Von der Leyen: that of the Ecological Transition and the competition.
According to parliamentary sources, however, an agreement was reached on Wednesday evening between the right, the center and the social democrats, which should allow his appointment. The European Parliament will decide in a vote on November 27 in Strasbourg.
– “Most relevant” warning –
Also called to explain himself last Friday, before the regional parliament of Valencia, the president of the region Carlos Mazón, vilified for his chaotic management of the disaster, recognized “errors” and presented his “apologies” to the population.
But he also attacked the services dependent on the central State, notably minimizing the impact of the red alert triggered on the morning of the 29th by the Meteorological Agency, estimating that these alerts had until then never been followed by such catastrophic floods.
“Over the last five years, only one alert out of 400 concerning heavy rains and a risk of flooding has been issued at the red level,” Teresa Ribera responded on Wednesday, considering that this mode of warning is “the most relevant ” to anticipate a disaster and protect the population.
Responding to another criticism from Mr. Mazón, she further denied any “breakdown” within the agency responsible for monitoring the flow of the Jucar, a river, and recalled that the government had not destroyed any dam , denying false information widely relayed on social networks.
“But it is of little use to have all the necessary information if the person who must respond does not know how to do so,” said the minister, criticizing Mr. Mazón for not having taken the necessary decisions on the basis of the elements transmitted to him.
“Unfortunately, in the new climate scenario, the forecast is that episodes of this scale will cease to be exceptional,” the minister also warned.
His plea did not convince the elected officials of the Popular Party. “You fail in prevention and you have failed in emergency, you cannot bring your incompetence and your lack of humanity to Europe,” responded MP Ester Munoz.
The leader of the PP Alberto Nunez Feijoó had for his part called on Tuesday the government to propose another candidacy for the European Commission, saying he was ready to assume “all the consequences” by voting against Teresa Ribera until the end.
Traveling to Rio for the G20, Pedro Sánchez castigated the attitude of the PP on Tuesday evening, accusing it of “systematically bringing all national policy debates to Brussels”, to the point of provoking “absolute disbelief in Europe, and not just in the social-democratic family.”
The Prime Minister must soon explain to the deputies, in turn, his management of the disaster.
