PP and Vox have rejected the request from PSPV and Compromís to convene the Permanent Deputation of Les Corts in order for the Consell to account for the latest fires recorded in the Comunitat Valenciana in the final stretch of summer --among them the one in El Saler, in València-- and for the theft of the Treasure of Villena (Alicante) that occurred at the end of August.
The decision was made in the meeting of syndics this Tuesday, dominated by the conservative majority, where PP and Vox argued that it makes no "sense" to activate this body when there are barely two days left until the start of the ordinary session period, which will begin this Thursday, September 10. In contrast, PSPV and Compromís have denounced the absence of parliamentary activity and criticized that the regional chamber continues to be on "Caribbean vacation."
In a press conference, the syndic of Vox, José Mª Llanos, explained that the meeting focused on processing documentation and rejecting several requests for the convening of the Permanent Deputation. He emphasized that the appearances of the consellers to explain the fires and the theft of Villena can take place in the corresponding committees once the new session period is opened.
Llanos also announced that in the next meeting of syndics, scheduled for Tuesday of next week, the date of the General Policy Debate will be addressed --the first of Juanfran Pérez Llorca as 'president' of the Generalitat and the last of the legislature-- and the parliamentary calendar, as had already been announced by the Presidency of Les Corts.
The spokesperson for Vox also indicated that his group has requested the appearance of the conseller of Emergencies and Interior, Juan Carlos Valderrama, to report on the management of the fires, and of the consellera of Education, Culture and Universities, Carmen Ortí, to detail the start of the school year and the "tragic" theft of the Treasure of Villena.
Regarding this plunder, Llanos spoke of a possible "total incompetence" and "total abandonment" of Patrimonio Nacional in the "care" of the Treasure and also pointed to the City Council of Villena because the security measures "seemed to be minimal." "A treasure like that cannot be exposed; that's what replicas are for," he emphasized.
PSPV denounces inactivity and lack of explanations
The socialist syndic, José Muñoz, has accused PP and Vox of having the Valencian parliament "quite asleep," which in his opinion continues on "Caribbean vacation," and has criticized that the calendar for the new session period is not known until next week. "Children start tomorrow --the school year-- and we don’t know when," he has ironized, insisting that the opposition wants to "start now."
Muñoz has pointed out that the PSPV wishes to "ask directly" the 'president' of the Generalitat, Juanfran Pérez Llorca, whom he accuses of trying to "postpone everything he can" regarding his appearance before the plenary. He has also reproached the PP for its "hypocrisy" in demanding a quick resumption of activity in other parliaments while, where it governs, "does the opposite," "fleeing" from the citizenry.
Regarding the Permanent Deputation, the PSPV had requested the appearance of the conseller of Emergencies, Juan Carlos Valderrama, to explain the operation against the El Saler fire, which he has described as "the worst in the last 40 years" in the area. After the veto from PP and Vox, Muñoz has criticized that the Consell will not offer "the appropriate explanations" and has assured that Valderrama "has failed in prevention and extinction."
Concerning this fire, which burned about 36 hectares, the socialist leader has reproached the Consell for limiting itself to "blaming a pyromaniac" without providing "any explanation as to why the response was so late" nor about the request for intervention from the Military Emergency Unit (UME), despite the Generalitat, along with the City Council of València, having "sufficient availability" of its own resources.
The PSPV had also requested the appearance of the consellera of Education, Culture, and Universities, Carmen Ortí, to clarify "the security measures" of the Museum of Villena after the theft of the Treasure. In light of the refusal from PP and Vox, Muñoz has accused the consellera of "hiding again" and has demanded that the Generalitat "avoid sterile debates" and "provide explanations and assume responsibilities," reminding that it has the competencies in museum surveillance.
Compromís proposes more plenary sessions and criticizes the "impasse"
Joan Baldoví (Compromís) has also censured the rejection of PP and Vox to convene the Permanent Deputation and has denounced the lack of activity in Les Corts, questioning that the parliamentary calendar is delayed until next week. He has labeled the "absolutely trivial" the "excuse" offered by the government partners. "We could know the calendar today, it would have been a sign of parliamentary cordiality," he defended.
In light of this "parliamentary impasse," Baldoví has announced that Compromís will register a proposal for a calendar for the new session period that includes three ordinary plenaries per month, "as many other" parliaments have, with the aim of "compensating" for the scarce activity of recent months in Les Corts.
PP downplays the criticism and defends the calendar
For his part, the 'popular' Nando Pastor has dismissed the accusations from PSPV and Compromís about the supposed paralysis of the parliament as a "joke to get by" and has maintained that it is something that "is not serious" and "does not adhere to rigor." He has recalled that in 2022, the last complete year of the Botànic, the session period also started at the beginning of September, on the 5th, and "the first parliamentary activity" did not occur until the 27th.
In relation to the request to convene the Permanent Deputation to address the theft of the Treasury of Villena, Pastor has defended that it is a matter "so important that it does not deserve" to be addressed in this forum, "without belittling" the body, but during the ordinary session period. "It is not where it is appropriate," he has stated. In the same vein, regarding the fires, he has considered that the "logical and reasonable" thing is for explanations to be offered in committee or in plenary.
When asked about the date of the General Policy Debate, the PP spokesperson in Les Corts has avoided specifying and has limited himself to recalling that the "tradition of the house" is to hold it in September. Regarding whether he trusts that by then Pérez Llorca will already be ratified as the PPCV candidate for the upcoming regional elections, he has responded that this decision corresponds to the "organic part" of the party, to 'Génova', and has reiterated that it is not something that "worries" him. "I have said it a thousand times that time never plays against us, but in our favor. Every day that passes, Llorca is more president and the PP more a party in government," he has concluded.