Complaints about the Spanish government's decision to use provincial boundaries to divide up the state for its post-lockdown plan have not arrived from Catalonia alone. As well as the thumbs-down from Quim Torra's Catalan executive, the proposal has been criticised by Basque lehendakari Iñigo Urkullu and Valencian president Ximo Puig. Faced with this scenario, Salvador Illa has opened up to the possibility of amending the concept. The health minister this afternoon suggested that the Autonomous Communities present "different approaches" to the province idea if they deem them appropriate and if their alternatives meet the essential requirements.
Commenting in a press conference this Wednesday in Madrid, the minister first reiterated that "the unit of reference established in the plan is the province or island." However, he then added that "the plan itself states that autonomous communities may take different approaches as long as it is guaranteed that there is [health] information available pertaining to the territorial unit that is proposed" and that the ability to isolate the territory's boundaries "can be guaranteed in terms of mobility."
"If these conditions are met," said Salvador Illa, "then the communities are able to put forward appropriate proposals." He emphasized that the Sánchez government's plan was "dynamic and flexible".