SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 20 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Parliament of the Canary Islands has unanimously approved this Thursday to validate the modification of Decree Law 1/2022, of January 20, which allows housing to be built on landscape protection land categorized BB1.4. in the insular plan of La Palma, following a report from the Cabildo.
At the same time, the Chamber has rejected that the decree be processed as a bill with the votes of the groups of the ‘Pacto de las Flores’ –Cs has abstained–.
The Minister of Ecological Transition, Fight against Climate Change and Territorial Planning of the Government of the Canary Islands, José Antonio Valbuena, has highlighted that this modification is promoted by the municipalities affected by the eruption so that there are no “barriers” between some rustic protection soils and island planning, which classifies them as environmental protection.
He has indicated that it is a “qualification” aimed at the construction of first homes and ruled out the need to process a bill given that another broader urban decree “is already underway.”
CS: “THE RUSH IS NOT GOOD”
Ricardo Fernández (Cs) has commented that “the rush is not good” since many modifications of decrees reach the Chamber, so he believes if “it is convenient to stop” and make a “broader” regulation and with the consensus of all the groups.
Although all the councils support the reconstruction of the island, they have insisted on avoiding “legal insecurity” while demanding that aid be speeded up because many citizens and companies are beginning to lose patience.
Jesús Ramos (ASG) has pointed out that this decree is “necessary” to respond to the volcanic eruption and the formula of the decree law gives more agility to responses to citizens, stressing that this regulation implies adjusting to island planning.
Francisco Déniz (Yes We Can) has commented that the volcanic eruption “has put the institutions to the test” when it comes to seeking solutions and understands that the modification of the decrees is an example of the continuous “evaluation” made by the institutions in pursuit of the consensus.
He has highlighted that new constructions are previously allowed by the Cabildo and maintains that the modification of this decree is an “emergency” because housing resources must be guaranteed to citizens.
Luis Campos, NC spokesman, has said that this decree is “fundamental” because it comes to respond to “specific needs” of families affected by the eruption because they have plots that can be developed if it fits into the island planning.
He has recognized that there is “tiredness” on the island and that “it is normal” but he has highlighted the great legal, economic and urban planning work that is being done on La Palma to guarantee the reconstruction of the island.
Jacob Qadri (PP) has valued that there are measures to facilitate access to housing for those affected by the eruption but he regretted that the Cabildo has to be informed so that the construction fits in with environmental values, since it can end in a negative report and without license grant. “Many and many individuals with expenses already incurred are going to be denied,” he has predicted.
He has pointed out that the decree “was born lame” and is “nonsense” because many soils have environmental values, he has already criticized that those affected are being “dizzy” because it is the ninth decree law that has been approved for the island.
Lady Barreto (CC-PNC) has highlighted that it is the fifth modification of the decree when the Consultative Council has urged the Government to promote a law that ends “legal insecurity”. “There is no other option than to process a law,” she pointed out.
BARRETO (CC-PNC) THAT “MONTHS HAVE BEEN LOST”
He has criticized that “months have been lost” in consulting citizens without there being structural measures for La Palma to move forward. “We palmeros have been given a package of pages and colors,” she indicated.
It has also made the regional government ugly that its speech and action in La Palma “is not for palmeros”, on the contrary, it is oriented to the “May elections”.
Matilde Fleitas (PSOE) has blamed the opposition for “demagogy with the pain of others” when the Government, weeks after the eruption ended, already approved a first decree to be able to rebuild homes.
He has insisted on the efforts to dismantle the bureaucracy and “twist” the legal arguments to speed up the reconstruction and does not understand that the PP “wants to make a problem” with the previous report of the Cabildo to grant the licenses. “They are afraid to apply this decree,” he commented.
Fleitas has pointed out that drafting a law “generates more uncertainty” for those affected and has highlighted that since the decree entered into force, 45 families have benefited, with 12 licenses in El Paso, 30 in Los Llanos de Aridane and three in Tazacorte.
