Although Ximo Puig, the President of the Valencian Community, gave permission for local councils to re open their municipal markets last week, the Councillor for Markets in Orihuela has insisted that “We are not going to put the health of the Oriolans or the traders at risk.  We cannot afford to take a false step right now that causes all the effort made in recent weeks by everyone to be in vain”

The Councillor, Víctor Bernabéu, reported the statement on Monday at a meeting that he held with the Councillors for Health and for Emergencies, José Galiano and Víctor Valverde, respectively, as well as with municipal technicians.

The object was to discuss the situation following the relaxation of the siruation by the Valencian Community and it’s Conselleria de  Health and Public Health, regarding the reopening of non-sedentary sales markets.

After the meeting, Bernabéu said that “we cannot make a decision on the markets with the sale of food products until we have sufficient data to authorise their reopening”, since, “we still do not know the total number of  cases of COVID-19 in Orihuela because of the lack of information from the Ministry of Health, and we require more information regarding this possible opening of the markets, before making any decision. ”

He insisted that “we are not going to put the health of Oriolanians or merchants at risk.  We cannot afford to take a false step right now that causes all the effort made in recent weeks by everyone to be in vain.”

However, Bernabéu did confirm that “all the productive sectors need to resume their activities urgently, but the reopenings must be at the right time and with all the necessary guarantees of safety and prevention.”

Likewise, the councillor of Markets also stated that “we are working on the necessary measures to re- open the markets, studying the relocations, spacings, necessary actions and procedures, to be able to make a decision in this regard by next Saturday, May 2 by which time we hope to determine an opening date ”.