National
Opposition attacks Spanish government over Alakrana affair
By m.p. - Nov 18, 2009 - 11:05 AM
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The Alakrana under Navy escort to the Seychelles. Photo - Defence Ministry
The Partido Popular believes 3 ministers should be put to a vote of no confidence in Congress
The truce over the Alakrana between the governing Socialist Party and the opposition Partido Popular has broken within less than 24 hours of the Basque tuna trawler’s release by the pirates. The Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, announced the release of the ship and its crew at lunchtime on Tuesday, after 47 days of being held hostage. The ship is now sailing to the Seychelles and will reach there on Friday.
The Prime Minister thanked the Partido Popular for his collaboration in the case when he made the official announcement, but this Wednesday morning, Mariano Rajoy made his own announcement , saying he wants three government ministers to be reproved by Congress for their ‘incompetence, improvisation and arrogance’ in their management of the crisis. The ministers named by the PP leader are the Deputy Prime Minister, María Teresa Fernández de la Vega, Defence Minister, Carme Chacón, and the Justice Minister, Francisco Caamaño.
Speaking to journalists in the corridors of Congress on Wednesday, Rajoy accused the government of ‘incompetence’ and ‘damaging Spain’s image’, before, during and after the Alakrana was taken. Before, El País said, for failing to provide military personnel to protect the tuna trawlers; during, for failing to pay proper attention to the crew’s families, for only taking action when they were forced to do so by the families and the media, and because, he said, the Deputy Prime Minister went ahead with a trip to Argentina during the hostage situation. And finally, afterwards, for ‘bragging’ about resolving the situation as if it were a success.
He’s also announced that he will ask for the Prime Minister to appear in Congress on the Alakrana affair.
Should the PP’s motion be accepted, it would mean a vote of no confidence would take place in the lower chamber of the Spanish parliament for the three ministers concerned, but would not necessarily mean, if the vote were to be passed, that they would lose their jobs. Europa Press notes that the former Development Minister, Magdalena Álvarez, narrowly survived such a vote in Congress two years ago over her management of construction of the AVE high speed rail line in Barcelona.
She then became the first Minister in the history of democratic Spain to be reproved by parliament when she lost the vote in the Senate.