The Minister of Industry, Energy, Tourism and Telecommunications, José Manuel Soria, assured this Tuesday on Radio Lanzarote-Onda Cero that if Morocco "discovers" in its waters the existence of "oil, gas or both", it would be "extraordinary news for Spain and the Canary Islands", since "it would increase the probability that there would be oil, gas or both in Canary Islands waters". This Monday, Soria had already announced that Morocco would begin explorations this week.
Therefore, if Morocco finally "discovers that there is oil or gas" in its waters and begins to "extract", for the minister it would be "absurd and even ridiculous" that Spain did not do the same. "Can you imagine the embarrassment for Spain, for the Canary Islands, for Lanzarote and Fuerteventura if there were a source of wealth and only one of the parties exploited it?", he asked.
In this sense, Soria has launched several questions to citizens and public representatives who oppose oil exploration: "When investments are proposed in Lanzarote or Fuerteventura, are they going to say no, that they do not want those investments? And, in the Cabildo, what will they say when an activity arrives that can generate employment, wealth and economic activity? Are they going to say that they do not want this type of investment?", Soria indicated, who recalled that Lanzarote "breaks the record for youth unemployment in Spain".
The minister understands the "legitimate" position of the citizens who reject this oil project, but he also believes that he would be "of the same opinion if the only information" that is transferred to the Canarians is that of the "Government of the Canary Islands through media that are absolutely controlled", referring to public television and also to public radio.
The possibility of an accident is "infinitesimal"
The minister considers that in the face of this project "there is a lack of information, the truth is not being told and reality is being greatly distorted." "It is true that there have been accidents in the world related to this activity, but the possibility is infinitesimal and this is stated in the environmental impact report", defended José Manuel Soria.
And although he "confessed" that he is not an expert in energy or the environment, the minister wanted to make it clear that the environmental impact study "has all the environmental guarantees required today in Europe, and even more". In this sense, he has asked the Canarian parliamentarians who criticize this report to "read things" and has criticized "some prominent people in the Government of the Canary Islands" for launching "absolutely uncertain things" about this document.