The Diplomat
The first vice president of the Government and acting Minister of Economy, Nadia Calviño, stressed yesterday, following the request of the second vice president, Yolanda Díaz, that the purchase by the Saudi STC of 9.9% of Telefónica be stopped, that “all the necessary mechanisms will be applied to guarantee the protection of Spain’s strategic interests”.
This is how Calviño spoke in New Delhi, where she is participating in the G20 Summit, in a statement to the press in which she avoided specifying what she answered this Friday to Díaz when she informed her of his rejection of this operation and warned her that the Government would not “You can consent to it,” Europa Press reports.
Calviño refused to comment on the “exchanges” of opinions between her and the Sumar leader, but she emphasized that Spain is “a serious country” that will analyze this operation “with maximum rigor.” She also highlighted that the Government has been “strengthening all mechanisms to protect national strategic interests.”
“That is what we are going to do, analyze the operation with the utmost rigor. We will make the appropriate decisions and activate the appropriate mechanisms to protect the general interest of the country and this strategic company,” she said.
Calviño stressed that the “strategic role” that Telefónica has in “the defense and security of Spain” will be taken into account, but she also highlighted that “foreign investment is very important for the economic growth and technological modernization of our country.” .
The head of Economy pointed out that she has not had the opportunity to talk about the STC operation with the Saudi Crown Prince, who has also attended the G20 Summit, but she did assure that the Government is in “constant contact” with Telefónica and that its president, José María Álvarez Pallete, keeps her “punctually informed.”
