Monday, January 19, 2015

Spain PM: Spain Will Create 1 Million Jobs in 2 Years, No Mention of How Many Lost

1/19/2015

New Math: Spain adheres to U.S. formula for unemployment calculation


MADRID – Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said that Spain’s economic progress will result in the creation of about one million jobs in 2014 and 2015.

Rajoy analyzed the country’s political and economic situation and the prospects for the future in an interview granted to Efe as part of the celebration of the 75th anniversary of Spain’s international news agency.

The premier reviewed the situation he inherited when he took over the government and emphasized that – after six years in power – things have changed substantially on the economic front and in 2014 the country’s GDP grew by 1.3 to 1.4 percent.

He especially emphasized job creation, saying that – after years of job destruction – during the past year 417,000 more people had become employed.

Rajoy said that the Spanish government had been very prudent in its forecasts because it feels that there is no reason to propagandize or deceive the public and, along those lines, he emphasized that, the government is predicting 2 percent GDP growth in 2015, above the most optimistic predictions by analysts.

He also said that he expects 550,000 to 600,000 more people to become affiliated with Spain’s Social Security system – that is, to become employed – this year.

Together with the 400,000-plus who found jobs last year, the 2015 forecast would mean that “about a million in these two years” would have become employed, the premier said, albeit acknowledging that although the figure constitutes a change in the trend, it is still not enough.

He said that the tax hike his government had to impose was one of the most difficult decisions he had had to make.

Rajoy went on to say, however, regarding his future plans, that as long as Spain keeps growing and increasing its economic activity, and thus collecting more taxes, if he remains prime minister he intends to reduce the tax rate further.

He also said that businessmen and unions were playing a significant role in the country’s economic recovery, adding that Spaniards had shown themselves to be “a valiant people” insofar as many have understood the need for the tough measures put in place due to the crisis.

“I hope no future head of government of our country will have to face a situation like this one,” he said, adding that there will be no general elections until the end of 2015 but saying in the runup to the municipal and other elections to be held in May the governing Popular Party will explain to the public that they had trusted in the PP and would continue to be able to do so in the future.

He also reiterated his commitment to fight against corruption and defended the measures he had put in place to deal with it, but he added that “there is always more that can be done.”


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