<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares called on the parliamentary groups to support the "vital decisions" the government must make at this "crucial" moment of "change in the world order and change in European security and the stability of our country and Europe."</strong></h4> Albares's address to the lower house of parliament came one day before President of the Government Pedro Sánchez's round of meetings with all parliamentary groups (except Vox) to share information on the situation in Ukraine and on the "Rearm Europe" plan promoted by the European Commission to increase defense spending, approved on March 6 in Brussels during the extraordinary summit of the European Council. The meetings will begin at 10:00 a.m. with the president of the Popular Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, and will continue with representatives, in this order, of ERC, Junts, EH Bildu, PNV, Podemos, BNG, Coalición Canaria, and UPN, according to Moncloa. This Tuesday, Sánchez held his first meeting with the second vice president and leader of Sumar, Yolanda Díaz. "We are at a crucial moment in the international world order, a moment that will demand conviction, determination, and great responsibility," the minister stated before the Lower House. "It is important that we all remain united, because in the coming weeks we will have to take very important positions for the Spanish people," he continued. Therefore, he continued, "I ask you today for the unity of all political forces and the support of the Government to make the vital decisions required for a change in the world order, a change in European security, and the stability of our country and Europe." This new order, Albares warned, requires that "Europe assume its own security, that it act decisively and in its own right." "We Europeans have demonstrated unity by taking the first decisions so that Europe can assume more responsibility for its own security, to take our security into our own hands," because "the threats are against Europe, not against any specific country," he warned. According to the minister, "it is time for Europe to raise its voice united in favor of International Law, the principles of the United Nations Charter, the prohibition of war as a method for resolving disputes between countries, in favor of international cooperation, and in favor of the multilateral system." It is also "time for Europe to take firsthand responsibility for its own security," after many years of "theorizing about it," and, to do so, "Europe must have the necessary instruments to confront the threats that arise." "We must mobilize sufficient European resources to meet all these needs, and this is one of the fundamental aspects for which I request the support of this House of the Government," he insisted. “All of us, including those in this House, must assume our responsibility” because “true patriotism today lies in defending Europe and its values,” he affirmed. “It is time to decide, and it is time for everything: either you stand with Europe, with its democracy, with the open and tolerant society that we are, with the justice and social peace that Europe defends and represents, or you stand with the authoritarians who attack democracy and the European project,” he warned. According to Albares, the plan launched by the European Commission “is for security, not to buy weapons,” because “no one in Europe is considering a militaristic plan to buy weapons from who knows who.” “Of course there must be integration of the European defense industry, but in a deterrent manner,” because the true objective is “to guarantee the life plans of the Spanish people.” “The one who wants to militarize in order to be aggressive” is Russian President Vladimir Putin, while the objective of Spain and Europe is “to defend their citizens,” he asserted. During the debate, Carlos Floriano, of the People's Party, requested that Pedro Sánchez appear before Congress to "explain his security and defense policy in the face of the extraordinary international situation we are experiencing" and criticized the fact that the Prime Minister only appears before the Lower House to report on decisions already made. "What will be the increase in Spanish security and defense spending? With what majority, can you say? Why do we have to wait to hear these answers after they are approved by the European Council?" he concluded.
