You have recently been appointed Minister of Industry, Trade, and Development for the Government of Aragon. Of the many responsibilities you will now have and all the projects undertaken or planned for the remaining months of this legislative term, which ones will you be following most closely?
The Department of Industry, Trade, and Development of the Government of Aragon is extensive and has broad enough responsibilities to offer a wide range of work and service opportunities. I'd like to begin by saying that I've been with this department for 15 years, since I started in 1987 working in the mines in Teruel. I've worked in various areas of foreign and domestic trade, mining, industrial safety, vehicle inspection management, and so on. In short, the responsibilities I've just assumed are nothing new to me.
That said, my priorities are, first and foremost, the management of the Miner Plan, which is key in Aragon because back in 1998 it was projected to bring in around €54 million per year to the region. Those projections haven't materialized, but currently €210 million has been committed to developing infrastructure in Teruel: roads, water resources, reforestation, riverbank restoration, industrial parks, electrical infrastructure, and more.
On the other hand, another line of the Miner Plan refers to the support for business projects where I have been working for many years to reindustrialize the mining basins and finally now, we are beginning to see that the industrial climate is changing, with the implementation of projects that have diversified the business fabric, with the establishment of cardboard or ceramic companies from Galicia or Castellón, in addition to Casting Ross, the flagship of the central mining basin that has created approximately 500 jobs.
"Through the Miner Plan we are finally beginning to see that the industrial climate in Teruel is changing."
Secondly, the Huesca Technology Park. Aragon has three provinces, each with its own unique characteristics: Teruel, more closely linked to the Mediterranean Arc, where, in addition to the Miner Plan, the Dinópolis project has been prioritized, among others; Zaragoza, with the Ebro corridor, the AVE high-speed rail line, the airport's development, PLAZA (a technology park), and so on—it's fair to say Zaragoza stands alone; and finally, Huesca, where we need to boost the region by launching a flagship product, similar to those in the other provinces. This could be the Technology Park I mentioned, initiated with the Walqa project. I'm looking for a flagship project to bring to Huesca to drive the Technology Park's growth. Many companies could set up along the Zaragoza-Huesca corridor because we have abundant land, water, and energy resources, and what we need is a flagship project.
"The Ebro corridor, the AVE high-speed train, the airport upgrade, PLAZA... you could say Zaragoza is going it alone."
Thirdly, attracting investment is crucial and another of my priorities, along with supporting SMEs. Often, it's not about giving subsidies to small businesses, but about supporting them in their projects. And finally, I want to highlight the contacts we will be making with the labor unions to discuss issues of technology policy, social policy, and other related matters.
In short, there are many issues to address in just eleven months remaining in the legislature; perhaps the channel is too narrow for the flow that is coming, but we will work on it.
– Within the Department of Industry, Trade and Development of the Government of Aragon, we find two fundamental institutes, the ITA and the IAF. What will be the future direction of both?
The Aragonese Institute for Development is, has been, and will continue to be a fundamental instrument of the Government of Aragon. It is not an autonomous and independent institute, but rather an agile body at the service of the Government. Thus, initiatives related to, for example, an industry needing land and a commitment or decision from our Department, or the PILOT project, the management of the Teruel investment plan… all of this falls under the purview of the Aragonese Institute for Development, with the aim of streamlining the decisions and implementation undertaken by the Government of Aragon.
Regarding the ITA, three days after taking office, I called all the area directors of the Institute and asked them to tell me where the projects we are currently undertaking were. This councilor is going to be involved in the laboratories, and I want to bring the ITA into greater public visibility. My intention is for the Technological Institute of Aragon to identify all emerging opportunities related to R&D, in addition to continuing to offer technological services to companies.
The Director General of Trade and Crafts recently traveled to the Czech Republic and Hungary to lay the groundwork for opening new SIPCA offices in those countries. It seems Aragonese foreign trade is thriving.
It's a shame I've only been in office for eleven months because my intention is to further boost foreign trade. I want to take more action, provide more support to exporters, and I want Aragon to be able to participate in internationalization projects to the same extent as the competent bodies in this area, for example, in Catalonia. My message is that Aragon needs to overcome its inferiority complex because there is so much to offer here.
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