Spanish PM promises 16 bln euros to help regions recover from coronavirus

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Sunday announced a fund of 16 billion euros (about 18 billion U.S. dollars) to help Spain's 17 Autonomous Communities recover from the impacts of the coronavirus.

Speaking in a televised speech, Sanchez described the fund as "the biggest transfer ever of resources to the Autonomous regions," explaining that 9 billion euros would be for the public health service.

"It should be the start of the repair of the deficiencies that have been detected in the health system during the crisis," said the prime minister, adding that a further 2 billion euros would be destined to education while the remainder to help compensate for the loss of economic activity during the pandemic.

Sanchez also confirmed that Tuesday's cabinet meeting would approve a new law to establish the rules and health controls to be put into place in the "new normality" when the current State of Alarm, which was put into effect on March 15 to control freedom of movement during the epidemic, expires on June 21.

He informed that by June 26, around 255,000 people would receive the first payment of the guaranteed minimum income approved by his government at the end of May to help the families suffering the worst economic effects of the crisis. (1 euro = 1.13 U.S. dollars)

(CGTN)