Spanish Minister of Transport has resigned

Spanish Minister of Transport Oscar Puente has left his post. He announced the decision at a session of the Permanent Delegation of the Congress of Deputies. According to Puente, he decided to resign immediately after the railway accident on October 28, although he delayed making the announcement for several days. 1TV+4

Puente stated that in a country like Spain, a Minister of Transport cannot remain in office when two accidents of such scale occur in less than a year. The minister described this decision as political responsibility and added that it would be good for the country and democracy. He also noted that he will not run as a candidate in the next elections. 1TV+3

At the session, Puente defended the safety of the Madrid-Seville high-speed railway line and noted that it is not abandoned infrastructure. He also pointed to the 780 million euro renewal plan initiated by the government. Imedi+1

According to various data, the accident that occurred on October 28 claimed the lives of at least 69 people, and approximately 200 people were injured. According to Radio Liberty, opposition parties and participants in protest rallies were demanding the minister's resignation, although initially, Puente stated that he did not intend to leave his post. According to Mtavari Arkhi, the catastrophe caused great dissatisfaction in society and political circles. 1TV+5