The Government delegate and secretary of the PSRM will request, together with the Consell, a meeting with the Ministry to clarify the future of the transfer after the statements by Hugo Morán
The Government delegate and PSRM Secretary General, José Vélez, considers that the “only valid right now” regarding the future of the Tajo-Segura Transfer is the documentation that received the green light from the National Water Council yesterday Tuesday, which includes the draft of the royal decree that reviews ecological flows in the year 2026 and reduces the impact on the aqueduct if the water masses are in good condition. “We have not lied to anyone. The document voted favorably by the Council is there and whoever wants to can read it”, emphasizes Vélez, at the same time upset with the statements of Secretary of State Hugo Morán.
The Government delegate considers that the agreement with the Ministry has been endorsed by the National Water Council. He indicates that, together with the Valencian Government, they are going to request a meeting with the high officials of the Ministry «to clarify the situation once and for all. If they want to change the document, that they do it in writing, do it in writing. We are going to ask the Ministry to respect the text that exists and that we all know, since it gives security to all parties.
Regarding the statements by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Hugo Morán, who pointed out, up to four times, that the gradual increase in the ecological flows of the Tagus will be applied, without revision, until reaching 8.6 cubic meters per second, a 40% more than the current volume, the Government delegate indicates that he was not in the Council and that he is not interested in what he has commented.
«Hugo can say it four times or times. I will not go into his words. With all the respect that I have for the Secretary of State, he should know for the next time that if there is any change, it must be done in writing,” he added, referring to the statements by the Secretary of State before the National Water Council.
Given the possibility that the text undergoes changes before reaching the Council of Ministers, José Vélez points out that it can happen. «If it is going to be done, let them say so. If that document is changed, each party will have the right to seek the legal formula that it deems appropriate and decide what to do.
Regarding the reaction of the Transfer Irrigators Union, which asks for explanations, both from José Vélez and the Valencian Council, the Government delegate indicates that he has “the utmost respect” for the irrigators, but not the Minister of Agriculture, Antonio Luengo , “whose duty is to defend the irrigators but is only dedicated to confronting everyone.” “We have not lied to anyone. I am not deceiving anyone. The document is there and whoever wants to can read it”, he emphasizes.
Castilla-La Mancha estimates a cut of 80 hm3
The Government of Castilla-La Mancha continues one day later celebrating the Tagus Hydrological Plan approved by the National Water Council on Tuesday. The councilors of Water and Sustainable Development, Francisco Martínez Arroyo and José Luis Escudero respectively, have assured that both the Executive and the entire society of the region are today “happier than yesterday”.
Martínez Arroyo has indicated that “the waters return to their course.” He recalls that in May ecological flows of 7 cubic meters per second were approved from 2023 to the end of 2025; flow that would rise to 8.65 in the year 2027. «This progression in Aranjuez is very important for Castilla-La Mancha, since measuring that flow in the city of Madrid is measuring the true flow of the Tagus». According to his calculations, these new regulations could mean that up to 80 hectometres per year would stop being transferred through the aqueduct to the Segura River.
“It is an approximate figure and it will depend on the situation of the reservoirs, but it is a significant reduction,” said Martínez Arroyo, who recalled that the Council of State is still pending a final green light for the document to establish ” in a precise way that there are no conditioning factors for ecological flows”.
Satisfaction in riverside municipalities
The Association of Riverside Municipalities of the Entrepeñas and Buendía reservoirs has indicated that they feel respected by the Government of Spain, since “it is defending the Tagus like no other previous Government”, and protected by the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, “who has defended the interests of the region, our river and our municipalities,” reports EP.
They explained in a statement that “they are relieved by the confirmation of a trend, a new step in defense of the Tagus River and its municipalities” and because the new Hydrological Plan “complies with the rulings handed down by the Supreme Court.”
In his opinion, fixing these ecological flows, above current levels, will also force the elevation of the water level in Entrepeñas and Buendía and will consequently reduce the volume of water transferred in order to guarantee the health of the Tagus, as defended by the European Water Framework Directive.
The riverside residents have been satisfied with the result, although “they will continue working to further reduce water shipments to the unsustainable Levantine agro-industry”, as explained by the president of the Association, María de los Ángeles Sierra.
The vice-president of the Association, Borja Castro, has also thanked “the Government of Spain and especially the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha for defending the agreement reached in May, despite last-minute pressure from a government of the Region of Murcia more and more only in its defense of agro-industry».
Topics
José Vélez, Council of Ministers, Consell, PSRM, Riegos de Levante, Supreme Court (TS), Aranjuez, Castilla-La Mancha, Region of Murcia, Water, Segura River, Drought in the Region of Murcia, Drought in the province of Alicante , desalination
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