The spokeswoman does not clarify whether the Government shares Calviño's thesis that Russia would be influencing Algeria

Rodriguez hides in "prudence" not to explain if there are contacts with Algiers and defeats Feijóo's position

MADRID, 14 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The government spokesperson, Isabel Rodríguez, has avoided clarifying whether the Executive as a whole shares the thesis put forward by the first vice president, Nadia Calviño, that the growing "linkage" between Russia and Algeria would have motivated the measures adopted by the latter country against Spain.

Despite being asked twice about it during the press conference at the end of the Council of Ministers, Rodríguez has not commented on the matter, hiding behind the need for "prudence" in everything related to the current crisis with Algeria.

Thus, it has limited itself to expressing the Executive's commitment "to dialogue and to approaching these relations from the utmost prudence." As he has said, the Government is "trying to resume relations" although he has not wanted to go into detail if there are contacts with Algiers and at what level, beyond pointing out that "diplomatic relations exist within the scope of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs".

On the other hand, he pointed out that the Spanish Commercial Office in Algeria is in contact with Spanish companies to "verify" that commercial transactions are normal, after last Wednesday the Professional Association of Banks and Financial Entities (Abef) announced freezing of direct debits for foreign trade operations with Spain, although Algiers later hinted that such a measure had not been decreed.

Rodríguez has hoped that this return to normality will take place and has hinted that once it is verified "whether there are obstacles or not" the steps to be taken will be decided, remembering that the EU is the one with competence in matters of foreign trade and assuring that the Government will defend Spanish companies "with absolute determination".

With regard to the requests for the appearance of both the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, by the opposition, the spokeswoman has maintained that the Government always attends to these requests, "without no problem".

Thus, he has considered it "shocking" that the leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has requested that Sánchez appear. "It is not understood that the main opposition party when it comes to being with Spain or a third party decides to position itself with a third party as we have seen in recent days," he has disfigured.