Alfonso Rueda, president of the Xunta, requested this Thursday that the European aid that the central government grants within the framework of the PERTE and recovery plans also reach the naval sector. Specifically, he referred to these Next Generation funds also being given to shipping companies and shipowners who want to renew their fleets and hire the construction of new vessels. As “other countries do,” he assured. Rueda emphasized that the Xunta unconditionally supports the Galician naval sector, according to what he declared after participating in the closing of the Navalia Fair, in the fairgrounds of the Olívica city, an industry “absolutely key for Galicia”. He added that forecasts and “prospects are good” thanks to the number of competitive companies in the community.
The future of the Galician naval goes through the modernization and development of the shipyard companies, clarified the president of the Xunta. It is committed to “consolidating” this productive fabric and ensuring that “commissions” reach the community in the future, reports Europa Press. He insisted that, for this reason, the Xunta will use the European funds from PERTE and its strategy for the naval sector 2022-2026 to “modernize the shipyards and influence the training” of the operators of these companies. With this pretext, he requests more “concretion” from the Government when drafting the bases to opt for PERTE aid: the hopes of the sector and the Autonomous Administration fall on him. “If absolutely objective criteria are guaranteed”, declared Rueda, “Galicia will have a great opportunity”.
The businessmen, he explained, are communicating to the Xunta that they also need part of the Next Generation aid to be dedicated to the renewal of the fleet, not only to the shipyards and auxiliary shipbuilding industry. In other words, that the funds also reach those who order the ships, not just those who manufacture them. With this business request, Rueda assures that he will request “another PERTE” from the central government, apart from the one dedicated to “those who build ships.”
After the acquisition of Barreras by Armón, almost a hundred of the company’s workers will be laid off. Some layoffs in other companies such as the old Vulcano and Metalships are added to the delicate decision. The workers have been protesting for weeks, and Rueda declared that, in effect, he “respects” the mobilizations, and wanted to send the templates “a message for the future.”
He declared this Thursday in this regard that the strength of the sector must first be “consolidated” because, if it continues to have orders, “it will have guarantees to be able to employ many people.” In the same way, he pointed out that “there are many projects in the pipeline” and that expectations will improve with the help of PERTE. Finally, regarding the possibility of convening the Naval Board, something that the unions have been demanding for a long time, Alfonso Rueda clarified that this decision falls to the economic vice-presidency but that the Galician government has no “inconvenience” in convening any forum to dialogue and “listen to the needs” of the sector, collects Ep.
