SPAIN THIS WEEK

31/10/2015 Mariano Rajoy visits families of three servicemen who died in military helicopter accident The President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, met on Saturday morning at the air base in Gando, in Gran Canaria, with the families and colleagues of the three Spanish servicemen who died after the Air Force helicopter in which they were travelling crashed into the sea on 22 October.

30/10/2015 "Now is the time to seek what unites us and trust in the mechanisms of the rule of law", says Mariano Rajoy The President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, claimed, after meeting with the Leaders of the PSOE, Ciudadanos, Podemos and PP, that despite each party maintaining their own position, the vast majority have verified that there is a prior agreement on coexistence that unites us all.

29/10/2015 Mariano Rajoy stresses that if the territorial integrity of States is not respected, the international system will collapse President of the Government Rajoy, on the anniversary of Spain's membership of the UN, underlined that Spanish legality is firmly entrenched in the international legal system. That is why, he added, those who do not respect the Spanish Constitution must be aware that they are also attacking the same legal foundations of the international community".

28/10/2015 President of the Government has working lunch with Leader of the Opposition The President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, held a working lunch on Wednesday with the General Secretary of the PSOE [Spanish Socialist Workers' Party], Pedro Sánchez, at Moncloa Palace.

28/10/2015 Mariano Rajoy receives Secretary-General of United Nations, Ban Ki-moon The President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, received the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, at Moncloa Palace, who is on an official visit to Spain to take part in the events to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Spain's membership of the UN.

28/10/2015 "If anyone wishes to touch the unity of Spain, national sovereignty, the rights or equality of Spanish citizens, I will stand in their way", says Mariano Rajoy During an interview on Cadena SER and while speaking about the Catalonia situation, the President of the Government stressed that "he will not hesitate in any way whatsoever in taking the decisions he needs to take", although he will act "with caution, proportionality, resolution and determination".

27/10/2015 Mariano Rajoy asserts he will defend the sovereignty of all Spaniards "with firmness, determination and through all the legal instruments available" The President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, made an institutional declaration in response to the parliamentary resolution proposal presented by two Catalan groups to initiate a process to create an independent Catalan State.

26/10/2015 Mariano Rajoy believes that political instability is "the worst that could happen" following the elections During an interview on Televisión Española, the President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, stated that "the people of Spain have a great future ahead of us if we persevere with the economic policy we have adopted in recent years".

26/10/2015 "Employment, growth and confidence are the hallmarks of the change in Spain over the course of this legislature", says Mariano Rajoy After the Council of Ministers meeting that approved the calling of general elections on 20 December, the President of the Government made a public appearance to take stock of "one of the most intense legislatures in Spanish democratic times" and to thank the people of Spain for "their extraordinary conduct in these very difficult years".

30/10/2015 Government approves aid to repair damage caused by latest storms The Council of Ministers also regulated the organised gas market with the aim of increasing competition in the sector and reducing the price for consumers. It also allocated 3 million euros for improving the competitiveness of the tourism sector in the Canary Islands and clarified the basic regulations of the Statute on public employment, traffic, land and the Social Security system.

29/10/2015	Inauguration of 5th Consultative Forum on European Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe
28/10/2015	Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) to allocate 950 million euros to finance Atlantic Corridor
28/10/2015	Switzerland and Luxembourg account for one third of amounts declared by taxpayers in goods and rights overseas
28/10/2015	Spain returns 49 archaeological pieces recovered by National Police Force to Ecuador
28/10/2015	Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation takes part in panel on International Counter-Terrorism Jurisdiction at Club of Madrid Conference
27/10/2015	State deficit reduction continues in September: 21.3% lower than a year ago
27/10/2015	Contributory pensions for October amount to 8.32 billion euros
27/10/2015	Cash revenue from contributions to Social Security system exceed 74.18 billion euros to September
27/10/2015	New record spending by inbound tourists between January and September at 53.79 billion euros, up 6.3%
26/10/2015	Chiefs of Staff of International Coalition against DAESH meet in Madrid