The Motril, socialist governing party has denied that the Junta is planning to transfer water from Rules Reservoir to the Axarquia, as claimed by the PP opposition party.

The Partido Popular had previously issued a press statement to say that they were “totally against plans by the Junta to transfer Rules water to the Axarquia.”

Both the Vice Mayor, Antonio Escámez, and the Councillor for Agriculture, Gloria Chica, said that it was not true that the Junta had contacted Vélez Málaga concerning this alleged idea.

They also called upon the Motril branch of the PP to stop peddling rumours without foundation.

Councillor Chica thought it “incredible” that the PP Spokeswoman (the ex mayor) Luisa García Chamorro could make such a claim, especially without having bothered to contact the provincial office of the Department of the Environment to see if there was any truth in it.

“The inhabitants of the Costa Tropical need water and until our own needs are covered, nobody here is going to cover the needs of others,” said the Vice Mayor.

He went on to say, “What Spokeswoman Garica Chomorro should be doing is speaking to the Central Government in Madrid (run by her party) to get the distribution network moving instead of this kind of thing.”

Editorial comment: it is a favourite party trick of Spanish politicians of all political colours to make something completely unacceptable up and accuse their opponents of it, so that they can loudly condemn it.

Presently there is no way of moving that water anywhere other than washing it down the river to the sea. And that is not going to change until the Central Government (PP) finds the money for the distribution network. It is not only completely impossible but entirely illogical that the Junta in Sevilla can attemp to pipe it to the Axarquia, especially without the Central Government providing it. Would somebody like to remind me why these politicians deserve a salary?

(News: Motril, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)