Last Thursday, I listened, on the radio, an interview with Ana Pastor Julián, Minister of Development of the Government of Spain, and I would like to summarize for you the interview, because it is quite long and I liked listening to this lady, who told, in all times, the truth, the reality that we are living in Spain, contrary to the statements made by other politicians, on the opposition, who deny the truth to get votes, thinking about the next general election of December 20. It really bothers me that there are politicians, who lie and confuse to many people.
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Ana Pastor belongs to the Popular Party, since many years ago and she says she is proud of it. She recognises she has a centre-right ideology.
She says that, “in Spain, there have been done many things; that have been made reforms in depth --for example, when I arrived at the Ministry, I found a ruin of five billion euros in unpaid bills (not expropriations were paid, was not paid anything)--, the accounts have been updated; many things are being done and, for example, many people are upset because the President has inaugurated a bridge, in Cadiz, or has inaugurated the AVE to León, when, in order that the President could make what he has done, all of us had to do a huge effort and, therefore, what hurts to somebody is that there is a balance; so, here, we have to do all is being able to explain, to the citizens, effort, this government has done and that things have much to improve; but, fortunately, they are better ...-- what we were talking before, about traffic: one of the most important indicators, of economic activity, is the traffic (highway, is growing traffic to 6 percent; we have just put the AVE to Leon, Do you know how many people have already gone ....? over 35,000, only to Leon. It has increased traffic 80 percent, to Leon. But, somebody wants to hide the reality”.
Alfredo Menendez (the presenter of the program “mornings” of National Radio of Spain) asks her if the President, Rajoy, will bring order, to the Popular Party, after the recent internal tensions, that have been. And she answered: “In every party changes occur, sometimes because people, who are, do not want to continue or because, like our President of the Popular Party, in the Basque Country, has made a public reflection; therefore, I can not say something she did not say. But I call the attention that it is never spoken ... for example, we have just known that the spokesman of CIU has decided to go out ... or, for example, half socialist legislators have gone out, I do not know if because they are not on the list .... and here nobody says why so many people, from the Socialist Party, go out; however, it seems that it does not exist. So, I think there are changes, as there must be, in organizations; but as for the government, I can tell you that, here, it is still working with the same intensity as always; we keep doing and acting, of course, to improve the economy of the Spaniards and the quality of life of Spanish people; and I know that people like to make headlines ...; but, let's make a reflection .... I do not hear people talk about the agreements that are being made between parties ...; ie, there are many things to talk about ...., for example, people have to know that we have implemented 70 infrastructures, in Spain; we have opened 500 km of high-speed, in this Legislature, and 800 of road ..., people tell me: Ana, you have to tell it!, and I answer: “I tell it…!”, and they tell me: But people do not notice.Then, surely, I explain bad myself”.
The Minister also spoke of Catalonia, on the incident, which was, in the AVE, a few days ago there, and Ana Pastor said she wanted to thank, technicians, the speed with which they re-established the service; but, perhaps more vigilance would be needed, on the part of security forces. In this sense, she said that "the government, last year, gave Catalonia, 8 thousand million euros, for infrastructure", that "Catalonia is one of the autonomous regions, that have received more money".
Going back to the theme of the AVE, Ana Pastor said that “if there is a profitable train, in Spain –and in another countries--, this is the AVE. For example, the Vigo-Corunna line, which was opened, in late April --and many people wondered why a line of new benefits, was opened in Galicia--, has already had one million four hundred and seventy thousand people. Also, the number of travelers, who have jumped on the AVE, from Madrid to León, has grown 80 percent, in less than one month. So, if there is a profitable train, it is the AVE, and we have do it efficiently; you have to make revisions, as we have done, for example not to make Pharaonic stations; there are sections where it has become rather simple track, instead of two tracks; therefore, that is what needs to be done”.
Alfredo asked her about competition, with other operators, and she answered: "We have approved, in the European Union, last week, the Fourth Railway Package, which provides for the liberalization, throughout Europe, and operators can enter in goods –in fact, in Spain, there are a lot of operators of goods-- and what Spain will do --and has been very well regarded, by the European Union— is a Gradual liberalization, meaning that RENFE is public, it will continue to be public and will give an universal public service and, what you do, is open the competition, there is another operator more, that people can choose another company, in a corridor, which will be the Corridor of East, and this is going to be done gradually and progressively”.
Alfredo asks her: "Is there any more inauguration, scheduled before the General Election?”. And Ana answered: “At this time, there are lines of AVE, who are 98 percent of its execution. Next week, if all goes well, it will be able to test, and with train, to Zamora and Salamanca. Salamanca is not a high-speed line, it is a line –even though it seems unbelievable to you—without electrification, the line of Salamanca was not electrified and what has been done is to electrify, so you can arrive , from Salamanca to Madrid, in less than an hour and a half ... They are also very advanced the line of Granada, the line of Castellón and the line of Murcia. But look ... though I have heard about everything, these days, ... I tell you that there are many people interested in saying that is inaugurated for electoral reasons, and I wonder: Where were those who said it, when we opened 70 public infrastructure, highly relevant? and I assure you that very few media have spread the news; therefore very few people have noticed. For example, it has been opened the Cantabrian dual carriageway, in 9 sections, which means that a man from Aviles can be put in Vigo, saving more than an hour, and no one has told it. No one has told that have been opened 800 kilometers of road. Thus, for example, the Vigo-Corunna line is opened without politicians; it was opened and became operational and nobody went there. Therefore, things are opening, when completed, from a point of technical view”.
The Minister recognises she has read the news that said: "Small businesses pay 30 days and however, the big construction pay at 500 days"; but she says she will convene to small and medium businesses, to ask him for the real data of what is happening”.
Esther Esteban (one journalist, contributor to the program) asked her that when will have access to wifi, in AVE ?, and Ana Pastor replied: "The Board of Directors of RENFE has awarded the contract for access, on trains; is a contract, not just for wifi, but it will also offer content to all users, ie, they will have a channel and will be able to access information, it will be a change, especially it has to do with information, with newspapers, with media ... I think it is going to be very interesting, very important and will be putting gradually, on all trains, starting with the high speed and that I know, the first test will be done next week, to see the performance, because technologically it has not been easy, but fortunately we have very good companies in Spain. On the other hand, it is being tried place plugs, in trains, and not only that, but also to retrieve the energy, from braking trains, to these plugs”.
The Minister does no doubt that the President, Mariano Rajoy, is an undisputed leader, in Spain, because he is who kicked us out of the crisis, after having --as we had-- a deficit of more than 9 percent; he is who is creating jobs and who has led us to have a growth of 3.5 percent, this year. So, she does not think about another politician, to lead the Popular Party and govern Spain.
Well, that has been the part of the interview, that I liked more. I hope that you have liked it too.
Until my next post, kind regards,
Luis.
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