SPAIN THIS WEEK

Mariano Rajoy highlights positive forecasts from European Commission for Spain both on employment and GDP growth

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The President of the Government underlined, during his appearance before the Lower House of Parliament to report on the European Council meeting held on 19 and 20 March, that the forecasts made by the European Commission set economic growth in Spain at 2.3% for 2015 and 2.5% for 2016. In terms of unemployment, this is dropping at a year-on-year rate of 7.2% meaning the unemployment rate will fall to 20.7% in 2016.

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Mariano Rajoy defends progress by Government of Spain in education, health and employment

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While speaking in the Lower House of Parliament, the President of the Government said that his government has successfully managed to maintain all pillars of the Welfare State during a period of extreme difficulty. In this regard, he stressed that Spain is home to 800,000 more people with a healthcare registration card in this legislature and that the amount allocated to grants has been increased from 1.1 billion euros to 1.4 billion euros.

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President of the Government receives Foreign Affairs Minister of Iran

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The President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, received the Foreign Affairs Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mohammad Javad Zarif, at Moncloa Palace on Tuesday afternoon, on an official visit to Spain, the first European country he has visited since the Lausanne Accord.

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Mariano Rajoy defends need to create "a large space of security, stability, prosperity and good neighbourliness" in Mediterranean

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During the inauguration of the EU-Southern Neighbourhood Ministerial Summit in Barcelona, the President of the Government expressed a commitment to cooperation between the two shores of the Mediterranean on the orderly management of migratory flows and combating the threat posed by Jihadi terrorism.

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Government approves reform of tax law to include publication of list of debtors

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The list will include taxpayers with outstanding debts and penalties in excess of one million euros. The government also analysed the regulation to allow personal data to be published on those convicted of tax offences. Furthermore, it presented the future Highway Act, which will prevent land from being reclassified during the planning stage of new roads.

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14/04/2015	CPI moderates its fall to 0.7% due to reduced drop in energy prices
15/04/2015	Maritime Rescue measures in operation in area of the sinking of Oleg Naydenov
15/04/2015	Ministry of Justice takes part in 13th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
15/04/2015	Minister for Industry highlights potential of tourism sector for further job creation in 2015
16/04/2015	Minister for Home Affairs to represent Spain at official acts in memory of victims of plane accident in Alps to be held on Friday in Cologne (Germany)

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