The former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero visited A Coruña on Tuesday to take part in the second edition of the Education Forum organized by the University of Coruña and the City Council. Her presentation, ‘Education in a global world’, is being held at this time in the Auditorium of the Universidade, where she is accompanied by the mayor, Inés Rey, and the rector, Julio Abalde. Before giving his lecture, the former Prime Minister went to the María Pita Palace to sign the City Council’s Book of Honor and commented on some relevant issues on the current political scene. There he was received by the mayor, who expressed the “honor & rdquor; what it meant for her to welcome her in A Coruña as councilor, because she remembered that, when Zapatero presented himself to preside over the Executive, she started in politics as a student. “My youth was forged in those two mandates & rdquor ;, she assured.
Zapatero recalled the “transformation” experienced by the country in educational matters over the past decades, and encouraged to “affirm the truths & rdquor; when there is progress. “Spain is among the Three countries that have made the most progress in recent years. In 1977, our public spending on education was half of the European average, and half of today’s. We have traveled a path in 40 years that others travel in 70 & rdquor ;, she assured. However, she admitted that there are still “some important challenges & rdquor; to be among the eight best European nations in that area & rdquor ;, but he defined as “extraordinary & rdquor; these advances taking into account the starting point.
The former president also sent a Message from recognition to the educational community for its commitment to quality education, especially during pandemic years. “The education system was the public service that has responded best & rdquor ;, she assured.
Regarding other issues, the former president did not avoid questions from the media about his position regarding the autonomy plan for Western Sahara presented by Morocco. The former president aligned himself with the position of the current government and argued that the position “is not new & rdquor; and that it has been collected by the United Nations Security Council since 2007 with “a positive assessment & rdquor ;. “It’s not a twist. The Government of Spain defended it since 2008 without much fuss. Now it has been confirmed in a formal way & rdquor ;, he pointed out.
Zapatero defined as “unfair & rdquor; the position you are taking opposition at this juncture, which, in the eyes of the former president, is being used by sectors opposed to the Government of Spain as “a little hole & rdquor; to oppose. “When we had the very serious incident in Perejil, I, as leader of the opposition, went to Parliament that day to give my support to the Aznar government, because it was in the interest of Spain. That is when it is shown if you really think about the State, about Spain & rdquor ;, he recalled. Zapatero appealed to the responsibility that the leader of the opposition must bear, whose figure he placed, in importance, at the height of that of the Prime Minister, since he represents, in his eyes, “a thermometer & rdquor; how is the policy of a country in terms of “political responsibility, climate and way of understanding political relations & rdquor ;.
In this regard, Zapatero wished that Alberto Nunez Feijoo “it goes well & rdquor; in his new stage as leader of the opposition, but with a nuance stated from the experience of who occupied that space for four years. “This is the NBA. He has nothing to do with it, and he has already verified it because in the first few days he has already had to rectify something. I want Feijóo to do things well, because that would be good for Spain. Everyone deserves a time when they are starting & rdquor ;, he pointed out.