The minister and spokesperson for the PSOE highlights the “collaborative work” between Sánchez and Puig and defends that with the Tajo-Segura transfer “we had to comply with five court rulings”
The pre-campaign makes Pilar Alegría’s day-to-day life a constant leap across the width and length of the map. The last stop, Valencia, to cover the candidate for the city council, Sandra Gómez. From the capital of Túria, the Minister of Education and spokesperson for the PSOE reviews the political news and the management of her department. The yes is yes, the coldness between the Consell and the Government, the mental health crisis among young people or the last face to face in the Senate between Pedro Sanchez and Alberto Núñez Feijóo mark the political agenda with the May 28 elections on the horizon.
Do you consider yourself a good person?
I am not going to spend a minute participating in this division game that Mr. Feijóo likes so much. In any case, the most worrying thing is that he used this phrase referring to the rights granted by the new trans law. Approving new rights is anything but annoying, he recognizes us as a more plural and diverse society. Does a man who divides us, without knowing what criteria, between good Spaniards and bad Spaniards really want to govern this country? In any case, I understand that in this achievement of new rights the PP does not feel comfortable because it has never been, it was not with the divorce law, that of equal marriage or that of abortion…
Now they are in favor.
The PP and Mr. Feijóo are very Marxist, but from Groucho Marx, they have some principles, but they are changing them. They said everything about the law of deadlines and President Zapatero, everything, then they took her to the Constitutional Court and when the Constitutional Court says that it is legal, now Feijóo says that it is perfect and that abortion is a right. But then they squeeze him again within his party and Feijóo has to make amends and says that it is a right, but not that kind of rights… In short, at least we have achieved the first part and although it has taken 23 years , we welcome Feijóo to the 21st century. And by the way, yes, abortion is a woman’s right.
Does the government bother?
What we have done from the beginning are policies for ordinary people. I believe that Mr. Feijóo was wrong, that perhaps what he meant was to “stop bothering the powerful”; It’s the only thing I can think of if what bothers me is that the minimum wage goes up or that we apply a tax to electricity companies or financial institutions.
Feijóo also linked it to the law of the only yes it is yes, is it going late with its reform?
With the law that only yes is yes, we approved a good law that raised a fundamental aspect: the comprehensive protection of women. But it is true that when applied it is causing unwanted effects. And the responsibility of the Socialist Party is to provide a solution and that is why we have presented a Law Proposal to toughen the penalties and prevent these sentence reductions from occurring.
“Approving new rights is anything but annoying, it recognizes us as a plural and diverse society”
Even without the partners?
We would like to have a majority agreement to improve the law with tougher penalties and keeping your heart, consent. And in that change, of course, we would like to have the rest of the parties, but that will depend on each one. We are going to talk to all the parties, we have presented a Bill, we have 120 seats and our will is to move it forward.
Are you worried that it will affect the image of the PSOE in the face of 8M?
I don’t like complacency in anything, but I think I’m fair if I say that if there is a feminist party in this country it is the PSOE. And it is not a slogan, they are realities, there are facts that prove it and the policies that this government is deploying with a socialist imprint prove this phrase right. And although we still have a long way to go, but if there is a flag in which I feel identified, which is that of feminism, I find it in the PSOE.
Why is there a clash on the left over feminist issues?
On the right, obviously, they will not find this clash because they have never felt recognized in feminism. The PP governments have done nothing to advance equality. Nothing. Now, the fact that within a government made up of two parties there may be different opinions and debate about some law does not cause me concern. Being able to assemble different opinions and visions what it does is improve the laws that we approve.
“We want to have an agreement with the parties to modify the law of only yes is yes and toughen the penalties”
In Valencian politics, there are those who say that Pedro Sánchez has left Ximo Puig alone.
I don’t know the meaning of those words, but let’s get to the facts. And the facts show that the joint work and the shared commitment between President Sánchez and President Puig have led, for example, to the arrival of the battery gigafactory in Sagunt. Or if we look at budgetary policy, in the five years of Pedro Sánchez’s government, the Valencian Community has received 40% more resources than in the previous five years with the PP government. And in this 2023 it will receive the record figure of 13,500 million, 25% more than the previous year. All these facts carry more weight than any comment.
However, there is still no, among other issues, a financing reform
There has been a proposal and to continue advancing we need a minimum agreement. We are all involved here, the Government of Spain, the autonomous communities and the opposition, and while this debate is taking shape, the Government has made a clear commitment to improve the regional financing of all. President Sánchez’s commitment to the Valencian Community is clear and clear, the collaborative work of both presidents has been evident from the first minute.
Another of the decisions that has bothered has been the cut to the Tajo-Segura transfer, has the discomfort reached you?
We are the Government of co-governance and dialogue, the decisions we make are discussed with the autonomies. Also in matters such as the transfer, it is something discussed with the administrations involved and debated in the National Water Commission.
But has there been a lack of sensitivity with the Valencian Community?
I believe that this government has shown itself to be sensitive and receptive to all the opinions, statements or priorities of the autonomous communities, but it must also give viable and sincere answers to all of them. In the Tajo-Segura transfer we had to comply with five Supreme Court rulings. And, furthermore, to guarantee ecological flows and water needs in both the source and recipient basins. To fulfill this commitment, we have already approved the subsidy for desalinated water and more than 1,600 million euros have been mobilized for purification works and the search for alternative sources.
Are you concerned about the information about the Azud case?
It is a case that is in the investigation phase and we have to respect the judicial times. However, at the center of this case are allegedly relatives and people close to Rita Barberá. And of those investigated, more than 40 belong to the PP. I want to remind you that, in 2007, when this case originated, the PSPV did not govern either in the community or in the town hall. In any case, I share the words of President Ximo Puig that if someone has done something wrong in the past, he will act resoundingly.
What expectations does the PSOE have in the Valencian Community?
Continue having the president Ximo Puig. When talking about the Valencian Community when the PP governed, most of the information contained the word corruption. This has gone down in history. I believe that Puig has brought an absolutely different way of governing this community where dedication and honesty are hallmarks and I hope that it will continue as of May 28. Furthermore, the information we have is that the work being carried out by the regional government is having a very good reception.
“It is necessary to expand mental health resources in the school environment”
The week at the educational level has been marked by the event of the two girls from Sallent or by the resignation en bloc in Mislata due to the lack of mental health resources. Is this issue a concern?
Of course, it worries, above all, that of the youngest and steps have been taken in this direction. A mental health strategy has been approved, with 100 million euros directed by the Ministry of Health, but from the Ministry of Education we are also working because we have seen that after the pandemic the mental well-being of our young people has been altered. The objective is to detect these situations, prevent them and so that the chain can be activated as soon as possible.
Is it just a matter of more resources?
Not only, but the resources you need. Having more resources is a priority and a necessity, but addressing the mental health and emotional well-being of students must have a comprehensive approach.
Has there been too much speed to apply the Lomloe in the centers?
The times are always interpretable. I want to send a message of calm because educational reforms need time and gradualness. Once the curricula have been approved, we must continue working hand in hand with the teaching staff so that these changes are implemented day by day.
“The Lomloe is a great opportunity to have an educational law that lasts a long time”
Are you afraid that a future change of government will bring another change of law?
I don’t see it, this law that we have approved is here to stay. This is a very good educational law. As in all laws, it will have modifications as time goes on, but it is a law that finally addresses a new way of teaching, learning, learning by competencies. It is true that during the Lomloe debate the decibels reached a very high level, but although I believe there will not be a change of government in Spain, if the citizens decide so, there will not be a change in the education law.
Have you convinced the PP?
No, I don’t think so, because they have even appealed to the Constitutional Court, but I think we have stability to give the education system and Lomloe is a great opportunity to have a law for a long time.
On Tuesday they approved the draft law for artistic education, is it the latest reform in education or is there one pending?
We logically have the developments that emanate from these laws, but law as such, with this law of artistic teachings everything is fulfilled. In this legislature we have been able to transform the education system. We have approved the Lomloe, we are processing the university law, the Science law, the FP law and the artistic education law, which for 33 years with the Logse had not established a new artistic legislation and we are talking about 14,000 teachers and 144,000 students.
They also approved 2,500 million for scholarships, the amount is a record, but is anything going to change so that it reaches the student body?
Efforts have already been made. We have achieved that before starting the university degree, the student body knows if they can apply for a scholarship and this would allow us to pay most of the scholarship before December. Right now the registration of the scholarship is done between March and April, from there we cross data with the Treasury to find out if the income requirements are met or not and from summer onwards the young people are transferred if they can choose. Thus, once the registration is submitted in September, the payment terms can be accelerated.