Shock news from Madrid on Canarian holiday

While the Canary Islands were celebrating and enjoying the bank holiday weekend of yesterday's Dia de Canarias, the Canarian show of national/regional pride within  a  Spanish state which 'conquista-ed' the archipelago about 500 years ago, there was the shock announcement of the Madrid Ministry for the Environment that they'll have no objections to dangerous oil exploration by the Spanish multi-national company REPSOL. This oil company is one of the very largest in the world and wants to drill for oil just less than 60 kms east off the Canary islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. 

Yesterday's protest 'Canaries Say No' (Source: gomeratoday,com)

There has been massive protest by the Canarian people and their government against such oil drilling and prospecting which the Spanish Ministry for the Environment  now has supported - down to depths of  between 800 and 5.000 metres. Some of the area affected is just 40 miles east of the popular holiday islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. There is massive opposition all over the Canaries against the now possible oil exploration. Further, Morrocco is exploring for oil just east of the area and has been warned-off by Canarian officials. The latest news of a 'carte-blanche' from the  Madrid ministry for the environment for a Spanish multinational oil company on the eve of the  Canaries' national' holiday has met with consternation and anger in the Canarian archipelago. The Canarian people fear that oil drilling will affect tourism, the environment could even further stifle investment in property. There were protests yesterday at the main festive act of the Dia de Canarias adressed the Canarian president and clashes with police  The Canary Islands keep stating that they have endless renewable energy to be developed yet, and neighbouring El Hierro will very soon be the  first island to be totally self-sufficient with 100% renewable energy.

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