La Moncloa, the Xunta de Galicia and the PP defend the Chinese factory against the Army reports that warn of the risk to the security of the future plant in the port of Ferrol. It has been the Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Function, Óscar López, who has stepped forward, defended the installation of the electric vehicle factory and expressed confidence that it will be carried out guaranteeing respect for national security following the information revealed by EL MUNDO.
“These investments are analyzed and it may happen that there are a series of recommendations, from an economic or security point of view, that are addressed and make the operation viable,” he said in statements to the media from the Ministry headquarters. López considers it an “important” industrial investment for Spain and therefore, “in a completely normal way” the economic, industrial, job creation and also national security elements are analyzed and taken into account.
“All elements are being taken into account, including those of national security,” the socialist insisted.
López made these statements in response to publications about the existence of alerts from Defense and intelligence services of a possible espionage risk due to the proximity between the place where this factory would be located and the military arsenal of Ferrol and the Navantia shipyard, where work is done with the U.S. military system. All after the Chinese car factory SAIC Motor chose this location on the Galician coast to set up its first plant in Spain, a short distance from the military arsenal of Ferrol, a key port of the Navy, mooring and maintenance point for the F-100 Frigates and the Supply Ships C.
The president of the Xunta and the Popular Party have also spoken on the matter. Alfonso Rueda has criticized the doubts raised around the landing of the Chinese giant SAIC in Ferrol and warned that the known information “does not do the project any favors.” After months of work with the central government to push the investment forward, he expressed surprise that the reservations are emerging now. “At no time was there any talk of any lack of security or any military risk,” he stressed. And he shifted the responsibility to Moncloa: “The Government must be able to reconcile national security with an opportunity of this importance for Galicia.”
In the same vein, the Deputy Secretary of Autonomous Policy of the PP, Elías Bendodo, visiting Barcelona along with mayoral candidate Daniel Sirera, positioned himself. “It is up to the Government of Spain to say if it poses any risk to national security. No one, no one has shared with us or with the Government of Galicia any information in this regard. As far as we know, quite the opposite, the Government has known about the project for months and so far has not made a single warning,” he assured.
