SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, June 14. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The president of the Popular Party of the Canary Islands, Manuel Domínguez, defended this Tuesday the need to paralyze the processing of the Master Plan for Use and Management (PRUG) of the Teide National Park prepared by the Government of the Canary Islands, “in view of the evident lack of consensus and because it is a document that is limited to prohibiting or significantly increasing restrictions on multiple activities, demonstrating its inability to devise a management model that combines conservation with regulated use.”
Domínguez understands that the use of the Teide National Park must be controlled so that human activity has as little impact as possible, but, in turn, there must be a balance between conservation and public uses.
“The problem is that this government has not had the sensitivity to establish a prior dialogue with the groups whose activity is affected, so that in the face of inability to manage, the way out they have found is that of prohibition,” he said. the president of the popular canaries at a press conference.
According to Manuel Domínguez, the Popular Party has held meetings with representatives of different groups whose activity in the park is directly affected by this new PRUG, both from the world of sports and the tourism sector, and in all cases, they have found a “rejection frontal” to this document, both for its content and for the lack of sensitivity towards them, “with whom it has not wanted to count at any time”.
In an appearance together with the president of the PP of Tenerife, Emilio Navarro, and the popular spokesperson in the Cabildo, Zaida González, the leader of the political formation on the islands has pointed out that “the increase in the period of allegations to the PRUG is not enough and that its processing must be paralyzed to establish a dialogue with the island’s society and that an imposition not be carried out that, moreover, affects the feelings that Teide arouses in many Tenerife residents”.
EMILIO NAVARRO DEMANDS SOCIAL DIALOGUE
For his part, Emilio Navarro highlighted the idea that “Teide is a symbol for the people of Tenerife and for the Canary Islands”, a place that he feels “intimately” as his own, as part of the culture, idiosyncrasy and history of the island.
Thus, he said that “in order to approach a regulation that minimizes the impact of human activity on the natural environment of Teide, a process of social dialogue is necessary”.
In his opinion, “you cannot govern with your back to society, you cannot make decisions that affect us all without taking into account public opinion, this is an issue that also directly affects emotions because we all feel the Teide as something of ours”.
On this issue, the president of the popular people of Tenerife expressed his concern about the “drift of prohibitions regarding mobility in the territory”, referring to the areas of Teno, Masca and Rasca.
“Now there are rumors that they will also impose restrictions in the Anaga area and now in the Teide National Park,” he stressed.
Navarro also appealed to the fact that the Minister for Ecological Transition, José Antonio Valbuena, with this and other issues “ends up against society, imposing his criteria and ignoring the necessary participatory processes, seems to be against Tenerife.”
In fact, he recalled that due to his influence, “we are on the way to losing, for example, the creation of important infrastructures, such as the Fonsalía port or the Granadilla regasification plant.”
ZAIDA GONZÁLEZ SEES LITTLE LEADERSHIP IN THE COUNCIL
Zaida González, for her part, has highlighted the inability of the Cabildo de Tenerife to have a say in this matter, demonstrating once again its president, Pedro Martín, that he is “incapable of leading” the defense of the island.
The insular spokesperson pointed out that the new PRUG, among other things, will put enormous impediments to sporting events and competitions in the park, since they will not be able to exceed 50 participants and without spectators, which puts the survival of events such as the Vuelta at risk Cyclist to Tenerife, the Blue Trail or the 360 cycling test.
“In fact, the practice of cycling will be limited to paved roads, like mountain training or cross-country skiing,” he said.
In addition, he recalled that climbing goes from being considered a traditional activity to an extraordinary activity, limiting the places where it is carried out without apparent technical criteria.
“There are other issues that do not stop attracting attention because of minors, such as the prohibition of the use of walking sticks by hikers,” said González, who also pointed out that another important activity such as recreational-sport hunting will not be possible. in the park.
The PP of the Canary Islands is not only concerned about the prohibitions in sports or leisure, but also in the economic and tourist sphere, since the PRUG also restricts, among others, the possibility of carrying out professional audiovisual activities in the National Park, since the team cannot exceed three people, elements or decorations are not allowed or drones cannot be used.
