The Spanish environment minister nominated for a top EU job has blamed the “incompetence” of regional officials for the death and destruction caused by recent floods as recriminations from the opposition delay her appointment in Brussels.
Teresa Ribera, a Socialist politician, was rebuked by opposition lawmakers on Wednesday for waiting more than three weeks since the floods to address the national parliament. Attacks by the conservative People’s party had threatened to delay a vote on the new European Commission scheduled to take office on December 1.
While disaster management in Spain is led by the regions, Ribera has been implicated by the PP because her ministry oversees the state weather agency and a river basin authority charged with supplying critical data on rainfall and flood risks.