Next weekend will be the first, for some time, without either a state of alarm or a perimeter closure and with an extended curfew that now starts midnight. As such, the Consell wants to ensure public compliance with all control measures so that we do not see a repeat in the Valencian Community the images that we saw from last weekend coming out of Madrid, with thousands of young people celebrating the end of the restrictions without any regard to the minimum security measures imposed by the pandemic.
Indeed such was the concern that on Monday a meeting was chaired by Ximo Puig, to coordinate the control measures to be adopted next weekend that will involve the security forces across the entire Valencian Community.
Following the meeting, it was announced that on Wednesday a meeting will be convened with the mayors of the main municipalities on both the coast and from the provincial capitals to coordinate measures and ensure compliance with the current restrictions against the covid.
In addition, the municipalities have been urged to ensure that their own Local Security Boards use their municipal Local Police to complement the actions that are to be enforced throughout the Community by both the National Police and the Guardia Civil.
There is also concern that with the end of the state of alarm and the border closure that we will see a large influx of visitors from other autonomous communities this coming weekend.
With the continuation of the curfew from midnight until 6am, and the closure of bars and restaurants 30 minutes earlier, the Consell intend to mobilize all the security forces so that these restrictions are fulfilled, in addition to other more general legislation that has been imposed with the pandemic, such as the use of a mask, safety distances or the limitation of capacity inside shops and hotels.
The Minister of Justice, Gabriela Bravo, said that she was concerned “because next weekend, people from other autonomous communities will arrive in numbers, especially to the coastal areas.”
She added, ” whoever comes should know that they will be welcome, but that they must comply with the rules so we need all of our local police to collaborate in this prevention and control action so that we can all continue enjoying this situation and move forward toward the end of all covid restrictions.”
The Government delegate in the Valencian Community, Gloria Calero, also warned that we are facing a difficult weekend, so she appealed to the responsibility of the general public and especially young people “not to ruin all the good work that has been done, because the virus is still with us”.
Asked on Monday about the images that have been seen of Madrid, the president of the Generalitat said that the situation was “regrettable” but he also praised young Valencians, “who have shown exceptional and exemplary behaviour and have made an enormous effort, limiting their activity for more than a year”.
When asked about the increase in visitors from now until the state of alarm declines, Puig said that “the only thing we ask is that they act prudently and following the rules.”
