The Diplomat
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, visited yesterday the Center for Reception, Attention and Referral of Ukrainian refugees in Barcelona, where he informed that more than 47,000 Ukrainians have already received temporary protection in Spain and that about 110,000 refugees have arrived in our country since the Russian invasion began, last February 24.
The head of the Executive, who visited the center from Morocco – where he was received on Thursday at the Royal Palace of Rabat by King Mohamed VI of Morocco in the framework of “the new phase” of bilateral relations -, toured the facilities and spaces enabled for the care, temporary reception and referral of refugees. “We are setting an example of collaboration, cooperation and institutional coordination,” said Sánchez, who was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares; the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, José Luis Escrivá; and the Mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau.
According to Sánchez, more than 47,000 Ukrainians already have temporary protection activated in Spain and the estimated 110,000 who have arrived in our country “we are going to give them all the protection and opportunities possible, so that they feel at home”. Spain has set up four Reception, Attention and Referral Centers in Barcelona, Madrid, Alicante and Malaga. The National Response Plan to the consequences of the war contemplates an extraordinary credit of 1,200 million euros in the year 2022 for the reception of refugees from Ukraine, as an advance of the European funds that will finance this response.
He also expressed his conviction that “Ukraine will resist, Europe will prevail and these war crimes will not go unpunished.” “What is happening in Ukraine challenges all European citizens”, because the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, is “attacking Europe and trying to weaken the European project”, based on human rights, democracy, freedom and peace, he added.
For her part, the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, visited yesterday the Military Center of Defense Pharmacy, at the San Pedro de Colmenar Viejo Military Base (Madrid), where she announced that the General Inspectorate of Defense Health has already sent eleven tons of medical and sanitary material to Ukraine and that next week more than 50 tons will be sent from the autonomous communities. The material sent consists mainly of serums, antibiotics, analgesics and anesthetics.
In addition, in declarations to Antena 3, Robles warned yesterday that the war in Ukraine will be “long and cruel” and will have “important economic consequences”, although he expressed his wish that “the few areas of dialogue” open will allow progress towards a solution. “But we are not optimistic,” he admitted. “We have seen all the cruelty displayed by the Russian Army and it is going to increase even more in the Donbas,” she continued. Therefore, the minister warned that the EU should be oriented towards energy autonomy from Russia because “there is a huge energy dependence.” “In 2014 after the invasion of Crimea we all looked the other way and now we have seen that it is imperative that there are measures, because that energy dependence gives it enormous power,” she added.
