Aragón's Leader Acknowledges Residents' Anger After Storm Damage
Jorge Azcón, the President of the Government of Aragón and leader of the Popular Party (PP), has expressed understanding towards the anger of residents in Zaragoza and Teruel affected by severe storms last weekend. On Monday, he faced criticism from locals for his delayed response in visiting the storm-damaged areas. Azcón explained that he was attending a wedding a thousand kilometers away and lacked the means to return quickly.
While visiting the worst-hit town, Azuara, some residents voiced their frustration, shouting demands for aid and scolding him for not arriving sooner. Azcón acknowledged their anger, stating, 'When you have lost your home or many belongings, you have the right to be angry. Politicians must confront the situation.' In an interview Tuesday with Espejo Público, as reported by Europa Press, he further empathized with the residents, emphasizing their right to express discontent when faced with loss of cherished memories and properties.
Azcón reassured citizens that efforts were underway to restore normalcy in the affected municipalities, with 200 personnel actively working on the ground. The Government of Aragón has initiated Phase 2 of the Emergency Plan for Adverse Meteorological Phenomena (Procifemar), deploying the Military Emergency Unit (UME) in several localities.
He also announced the Council of Government's intentions to approve a substantial aid package to support residents, which would cover expenses not included by insurance and help municipalities address critical damage to roads and medical centers. Azcón acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, stressing that while the damages in Aragón were considerable, thankfully, there were no casualties, unlike the tragedy in Valencia where over 200 lives were lost.
In his remarks, Azcón highlighted the significant differences between the incidents, stating that it would be insulting to compare the losses endured in Aragón with the tragedy in Valencia, reinforcing the importance of empathy during this recovery phase.
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