Pressure On Spain Govt To Extend State Of Emergency

Madrid, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Apr, 2021 ) :With infections again on the rise and Europe's vaccine rollout delayed over clotting concerns, the Spanish government is under pressure to extend a state of emergency to fight the pandemic.

Activated in October, the measure allows the central and regional governments to adopt measures that curb individual freedoms, such as imposing curfews and closing regional borders to anyone moving without just cause.

It is due to expire on May 9.

Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said his government does not intend to prolong it, arguing the regional authorities have "sufficient tools" to tackle the crisis and that a vaccine was now available.

"The circumstances are different," he said during a debate in parliament on Wednesday.

"The alternative to a state of emergency is a vaccination programme, which is intensifying.

" When it was declared in October, Spain was in a "serious" situation with a 14-day incident rate of 362 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, he said.

Now, although the daily caseload has been rising, that rate stands at around 200.

But many regional governments -- which are responsible for health care -- fear that lifting it will throw them into a legal limbo that will hurt efforts to control the spread of Covid-19 and are pushing for an extension.

Inigo Urkullu, head of the northern Basque Country region, has warned it would remove the "legal guarantees" for imposing measures like restrictions on mobility.

Regions popular with domestic tourists are especially worried about losing the ability to ban travel in and out of their territory, fearing an influx of visitors from areas with higher infection rates once the emergency ends.