In order to recover the Galician economy after the heavy blow that the oil spill caused both in the economic sectors directly related to the sea (fishing and seafood) and in those indirectly related but which were also damaged after the catastrophe, the government of Aznar held in A Coruña a Council extraordinary meeting of Ministers where an ambitious set of aid was approved and the launch of different initiatives aimed at overcoming the environmental, social and economic consequences derived from the Prestige.
Its objectives were: It was structured in 13 sectors and included different actions, among which we can cite: The main criticism formulated by the political forces of the opposition was the absence of time limits, which turned the Plan into a declaration of good intentions and mere propaganda of the Government.
Fraga, Paco Vázquez (mayor of A Coruña) and Martín Villa (appointed a few days earlier as Government Commissioner for the Prestige disaster) were present among the public attending the subsequent press conference.
Paco Vázquez, who in addition to acting as host to the ministers sat with them at the press conference and posed for the family photo of the cabinet, declared himself proud and honored by the celebration of the Council in the city and praised the conclusions.
At the same press conference, Aznar announced the granting of the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabel la Católica to the mayor, thanking him for his hospitality " The Galicia Plan basically coincides with what was expressed by Zapatero the day before, which means the existence of a clear political commitment on the part of all the parties " Paco Vázquez, 25.01.2003 (La Voz de Galicia, 26.01.2003).Beiras, spokesperson for the BNG, assured that the plan was " a farce " and that " the PP thinks it can buy the Galicians ".