A week after the government decreed the state of emergency that has confined members of the public to their homes, the Ministry of the Interior is to tighten its position regarding those who disregard defaults. They now insist that travel to second homes is not possible.
Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska was quite clear in making the statement on Friday afternoon, at video conference in La Moncloa which he held together with the Minister of Justice, Juan Carlos Campo
He said that the State Security Forces and Corps and regional and local police have filed 31,000 denuncias up to this Friday and detained 315 people for “serious disobedience” for not respecting mobility restrictions.
Grande-Marlaska highlighted the high degree of general compliance but he also pointed out that there are “many uncooperative” members of the public, who “do not think about the people who have died, who are risking their lives, such as health personnel, the Police, the armed forces or those in charge of replenishing supplies. “No movement that is not” essential “and included in Article 7 of the decree declaring the state of emergency is allowed, he insisted.
He said that people can travel to work, if they need health care, or other causes of extreme need. He also said that it is possible to take children to the other parent’s house in case of parents that are separated or who enjoy joint custody.
It is also possible to return to the habitual residence by those people who made the exodus from Madrid to the beaches after the closure of schools and universities a few days earlier than in the rest of Spain.
But for any other reason other than those detailed the culprits will be fined.
It is also prohibited for two or more people to travel together in a private vehicle, even if it is to go to work. At this point, the Interior Minister explained that we are facing a “very important and unknown health crisis” that has forced the restriction on free movement and therefore “we must be very serious in its application.” “We cannot allow excessive flexibility,” he said in cases that are not “absolutely justified.” “Only one person can move in a vehicle,” he said, unless “a dependent” is accompanied. “The situation is uncomfortable for everyone but the goal is to prevent the spread of the virus,” said Marlaska.
People who ignore these regulations are first questioned by the police to “justify their being on the road” and if not able to do so they are sanctioned. Despite the situation, traffic on Spanish roads has been reduced by 65% and entry into large cities by between 65% and 70%, according to Minister.
The Guardia Civil also launched a warning of it’s own on Twitter for those, despite the lockdown, who intend to travel to their second homes this weekend.
“During the weekend we will establish checkpoints on roads and public spaces to ensure compliance with traffic restrictions and their non-compliance will be sanctioned,” they have said on the social network.
“Do not travel to your second residence at the beach, in the mountains or in the town,” they have confirmed.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1241009097782243330
