<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The President of the Government Pedro Sánchez stated this Monday, one day after protests in solidarity with Gaza forced the cancellation of the final stage of the Vuelva Ciclista a Espana as it passed through the center of Madrid, that “until the barbarism stops, neither Russia nor Israel should be involved in any further international competition.”</strong></h4> The Prime Minister spoke these words during his address at the meeting of the PSOE interparliamentary committee (made up of the Socialist groups in the Congress, the Senate, and the European Parliament), which officially opened the political year. During his speech, Sánchez announced that the Council of Ministers this Tuesday will raise Spain's growth forecasts for 2025. Specifically, he stated that GDP growth of over 2.6% is expected, exceeding the forecasts of national and international organizations such as the OECD and the Bank of Spain (2.4%) and the IMF (2.5%). According to the Prime Minister, Spain is the EU country "with the highest growth, the highest job creation, and the fourth largest reduction in public debt." Likewise, Pedro Sánchez announced the update of the National Housing Plan, with the goal of reaching €7 billion over the next five years. The plan calls for tripling the housing budget that the State transfers to autonomous communities that commit to accelerating the construction of affordable rental properties and the creation of "a new rental aid with an option to buy of almost 30,000 euros so that young people can reside for years in a home with permanent protection and eventually acquire it" and another aid of up to 10,800 euros for the purchase of homes in rural areas. On the other hand, Pedro Sánchez addressed the situation in the Gaza Strip, one day after the incidents at the Vuelta a España final in Madrid. In his opinion, sports authorities "must consider whether it is ethical for Israel to participate in international competitions." "Why was Russia expelled after the invasion of Ukraine, but not Israel after the invasion of Gaza?" he continued. "Our position is clear and resounding: until the barbarity ceases, neither Russia nor Israel should be involved in any further international competitions," he stated. “We have always rejected violence. We have profound admiration for our athletes and the cyclists of La Vuelta a España, and that is why their safety was prioritized yesterday. However, we have enormous respect and admiration for a Spanish society that mobilizes against injustice and does so peacefully,” Sánchez continued. “Our position is clear, and the vast majority of citizens share it. People from the right, the left, and the center are in defense of human rights,” asserted Pedro Sánchez. Spain, he recalled, “has recognized the State of Palestine, as other European countries will do at the United Nations Congress. It's not that we are alone; it's that we were the first.” “It has been years since Spain used its international weight to stand up for what is right,” he asserted. “What's the point of having a voice if you limit yourself to repeating what others say? To practice the compliant approach demanded by the PP and Vox, you don't need to have a strong foreign policy,” he insisted. “Having your own voice is only useful when you dare to use it to defend what you believe in,” he added. “We demand what is right, and the right thing to do is to stand on the side of the victims and the attacked, not the aggressors. With our heads held high. Spain is today the one who saves the honor of Europe,” he concluded.
