The Spanish Government and the majority of political forces and society are in tune with this historical moment that demands that the old Europe be definitively converted into the United States of Europe, deepening the mechanisms that the Union itself has provided. As is known, Chancellor Merkel and President Macron have announced that they will propose the creation of a recovery fund endowed with 750,000 million euros to reactivate the economy and coordinate health efforts against the pandemic. Of that amount, our country would obtain 77,000 million in the form of non-refundable transfers and 63,000 million in the form of loans.
After Italy, Spain will be the great beneficiary of these extraordinary funds, but there are those who are not happy. Fortunately, the Spanish extreme right has no standing before leaders of the stature of Merkel and Macron, who, together with Pedro Sánchez and other heads of State and Government, are trying to reposition the European Union (EU) in the historical role that corresponds to it to successfully combat the very serious economic and social consequences that covid-19 is causing. But, at the rate it is going, the same could happen to the Popular Party if it persists in its obstinacy to act as a curtain-raiser for the extreme right instead of moderating itself and recovering the conservative political space approved in the Eurozone.
The fund does not reach the 1.5 billion euros proposed by Spain, agreed; and the Union must still take other steps in the same direction, also agreed. However, it is undeniable that the European response to the coronavirus is fully in line with the major axes that we have defined in our country and that are being debated in the Reconstruction Commission created in the Congress of Deputies: public health, economic reactivation, industrial sovereignty, and ecological and digital transition. There are reasons to be optimistic because the advances are evident, despite the chagrin of the doom-mongers and the patriots of cauldron, high-end convertible and provocative and incendiary verb.
Recognizing that these good prospects still have to be specified, it seems that the opposition is annoyed that the European Union attends to Spanish claims. It seems that it bothers them that Spain has a direct dialogue with the political heart of the Union. It seems that it bothers them that this country hardly registers deaths, is capable of defeating the pandemic and is on its way to overcoming the economic and social crisis with effort and sacrifice and with a clear project to modernize the State.
Does it perhaps gnaw at them that the EU supports the work of our Government? Because far from the apocalypse happening, a large majority of the population has put aside pettiness to lend a hand and overcome this catastrophe that we have had to live through. Perhaps it torments them that the old European dream does not break down, nor that other surrogates of Brexit arise here and there, and that, on the contrary, an idea is taking shape that consists of saying: goodbye Europe, hello European Union. But, everything must be said, what they like least is that the PSOE and Unidas Podemos Government has announced a Law against Tax Fraud that puts an end to privileges, equates all citizens and pays more taxes those who have the most.
Fco. Manuel Fajardo Palarea, senator of the PSOE for Lanzarote and La Graciosa.
