The president defends the work of the Government in the face of the current drought emergency and takes heart from the negotiation with the farmers, with whom he managed to reach an agreement this week to lift the road blocks.
The Parliament, in the full monograph on the drought, called on the Government to relax the measures in gyms and hotels. What will he do?
We will continue to work with the sector.
When it is necessary to apply restrictions, it is necessary to be surgical and apply those that are really effective in reducing water consumption and avoid those that have no impact.
We must be aware that society as a whole will have to make efforts in the coming months to preserve the water that reaches homes and essential services, such as hospitals and schools.
As part of the technical work being carried out by the Catalan Water Agency (ACA), we will find a way to fulfill what the Parliament is asking us to do. I hope to be able to finalize it next month.
Will there come a day when no water comes out of the tap in Barcelona?
No. We produce enough water so that this doesn’t happen, but we could end up finding one day that the restrictions are much more intense than they are now.
But we produce water in desalinizers, we get regenerated water. Today, more than half of Ter-Llobregat’s water comes from desalination or regeneration plants and, before the drought, 85% came from reservoirs. We have made a great effort.
What must be done so that, if it rains, this plan does not stop?
I promise that what happened in 2009, 2010 and 2011, when investments were deprogrammed, will not happen.
And I can do it because we have cleaned up the Generalitat’s accounts. From 37% of the debt in relation to Catalonia’s GDP, we will go to 29% with the budgets and, when the remission of part of the FLA is launched, to 23%. The commitments I make are the ones I keep.
Is the ACA an effective instrument? It has 540 million in committed investments that have not been executed and, at the same time, it is asking to raise the water fee.
It is made up of professionals of the highest level and we have been lucky, because it applies the special drought plan with rigor, anticipation and professionalism.
These 540 million euros are committed and will be spent in the coming months.
Will it ease water restrictions on farmers?
There are many different casuistries about how we can soften the consequences of restrictions on agriculture and livestock, but, obviously, water for the survival of animals and trees of woody crops is guaranteed.
They have agreed to change the name of the ministry.
One of the agreements is to incorporate the name of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries into the scope of the department. It is part of the recognition of the importance of agriculture. In practice, we are already doing everything that a Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries does.
Does this imply a change in priorities?
No. Placing the policies to fight climate change and support farmers and fishermen in the same department has allowed us to manage the situation much better than if they were separate departments.
If not, we would probably see different positions within the same Government, between those who manage the ACA and those who manage agriculture.