Santa Cruz de Tenerife (EFE).- The Platform for People Affected by the Eruption of the Cumbre Vieja Volcano in La Palma has registered in the regional Parliament a popular legislative initiative for a Law on Volcanoes in the Canary Islands that guarantees the recovery of property for victims of an eruption on any island in the archipelago.
The initiative, as explained on Wednesday by the platform’s spokesman, Juan González, in statements to the media, aims to culminate in a law “of everyone and no one” because this entity affected by the eruption of La Palma does not want to “that no party seizes what the people want”.
This is a participatory initiative that arises to fill “the legal vacuum” detected by those affected by the volcanic eruption in La Palma and, therefore, aims to regulate the necessary aspects so that citizens feel “protected, safe and calm” even with the awareness that they live on volcanic islands.
Today the first step has begun with the constitution before a notary of the commission promoting the popular legislative initiative followed by its registration in the autonomous Chamber, which must now authorize the start of the collection of signatures, stipulated at 15,000 in three months.
In this regard, Juan González has encouraged citizen solidarity in this area since it will be a law of regional scope “and to be able to live better in the Canary Islands” and has been convinced that the necessary 15,000 signatures will be collected before the deadline “because there are I want this to come out.”
The spokesman for the platform has detailed that the collection of signatures will begin once the regional Parliament authorizes it, which will also provide the specific paper (stamped) provided for this type of initiative.
The goal is for there to be a law that takes into account the safety of people, their property and patrimony “of each one” of those affected by a volcanic eruption “which can be the same in Tenerife, La Palma, El Hierro, La Gomera or La Graciosa”, indicated Juan González.
This initiative arises on the platform “given the experience in La Palma”, perceiving that those affected did not have “any legal security or legal protection” after the losses caused by the eruption of September 2021 in Cumbre Vieja.
For the platform, the autonomous community has “enormous” powers regarding this type of catastrophe, but there will also be aspects to work on jointly with the State Administration.
Vicente Leal, also a member of the platform, has underlined the interest that this law creates a precedent in the Canary Islands and has requested that, once it enters into force, it be retroactive to the eruption on La Palma.
Likewise, the promoters of this popular legislative initiative have expressed their wish that this proposal be included in the agenda of the first plenary session held by the Parliament of the Canary Islands in the next legislature, so that, if the deputies “feel like working” , the Volcanoes Law can be approved in the last quarter of this year, Juan González has pointed out.
This would be feasible because the platform is confident that it will collect the 15,000 signatures before the required deadline and there will be enough time for the paper to be designated at the beginning of the next legislature to study the corresponding text in committee. EFE