The prime minister of Spain warned on Thursday that the nationwide lockdown is likely to last till May even though he mentioned that the worst will soon be over and the death toll slowed from one of the worst-hit regions due to the coronavirus or COVID-19 outbreak.
While addressing a near-empty parliament the prime minister Pedro Sanchez stated that the latest data showed Spain was near to the start of a decline in the pandemic.
Spain main remain in lockdown until May
"The fire starts to come under control," he said. Lawmakers were set to approve a two-week extension of a state of emergency - barring people from leaving homes except for work, food or medicines - until April 26. Sanchez said he was certain he would have to ask parliament in 15 days for another two-week extension to the lockdown first declared on March 14.
After two days of increases, the daily coronavirus death toll decreased on Thursday to 683 people in the previous 24 hours, taking the total to 15,238 - second only to Italy, though the ballooning US toll was likely to overtake Spain. Confirmed cases in Spain rose to 152,446 from 146,690. "The velocity of the increase of the virus is decreasing throughout Spain," said Maria Jose Sierra, deputy head of the health emergency centre.
In parliament, Sanchez exhorted all sides in the politically-fractured nation to join an economic revival pact. Appealing for "unity and loyalty", he called upon parties to meet next week to discuss it. The government's proposal is inspired by the 1977 "Pacts of Moncloa" - named for the presidential palace in Madrid - to transform the state-run economy along market lines for the post-Franco democratic era.
It seeks to unite political parties, unions, companies and regions behind a common economic reconstruction policy and state welfare funding as Spain, like other western nations, piles billions of euros into aid and stimulus. "I propose a great pact for the economic and social reconstruction of Spain, for all the political forces who want to lend their shoulder to take part," said Sanchez, a Socialist who leads a leftist coalition government after a series of inconclusive elections.
SOME EASING
The leader of the main opposition People's Party, Pablo Casado, said the pact appeal seemed insincere, but he backed extending the state of emergency until April 26. Despite the expected extension of the overall lockdown, the government was from Sunday to start easing some restrictions on businesses after shutting down all non-essential operations nearly two weeks ago. Lifting measures would be gradual and dependent on health data, Sanchez said.
The prime minister said measures to curb the COVID-19 disease - some of the toughest in Europe - have helped save many lives and slashed the proportional daily increase in new infections to four percent from 22 percent. "All Europe arrived late but Spain acted earlier," he said. But he warned of a dire aftermath for an economy the main business lobby thinks could slump up to nine percent this year. "The immediate economic horizon that we have is dark and we will have to act with all of our available resources," Sanchez said.
Among potential measures is a "minimum vital income", Sanchez said, without giving specifics. A tax moratorium for small businesses is also possible, a budget ministry source said. Spain is irked by European Union (EU) foot-dragging over how to unite efforts for financial recovery, with more fiscally-frugal northern nations like German and the Netherlands reluctant to inflate debt too much. "I say it without nuances, our union is in danger," Sanchez said, ahead of another meeting of EU finance ministers to debate the issue.
(With agency inputs)
