The almost revolutionary situation, which for economic reasons has developed in Greece, from the beginning of this year begins to repeat itself in another country of the European Union - in Spain. The economic crisis in the country of matadors has moved from the stage of political collisions to the confrontation between the brave Prime Minister and the workers and civil servants of the country on the Iberian Peninsula fighting for their right to work.
The reason for the massive strikes and rallies in Spain was the country's difficult economic situation. The state of production found expression in the figure of 8, 9% - this was the deficit of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the past year. The country has the highest unemployment rate in Europe - at the beginning of the year it was 21%, and by the summer it rose to 24%. Economic problems led to the electoral defeat of the ruling party and a change of government. Spain’s new prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, submitted a budget to parliament in the spring, which includes harsh austerity measures. In the process of its implementation, workers and employees in the state-supported industries - mining, health care, education, etc., will suffer greatly.
Of course, such measures could not fail to provoke protests that have been taking place in Spain since the beginning of the year both in an organized form, under the leadership of trade unions, and spontaneously. One of the most notorious actions of this kind - the indefinite strike of miners - has already passed the stages of spontaneous protests and clashes with the police in the north of the country, a multi-day march of miners to the capital and a rally that gathered several hundred thousand people in Madrid. The Spaniards were most indignant at the beginning of the year that the European Union began financial assistance not from the public sector, but from the support of banks - the stability of the financial structure of ordinary Spaniards is less concerned with the loss of their own jobs.
Meanwhile, the government is steadfastly pursuing its previous course, despite massive protests. The financial situation of the population in the first quarter worsened by almost 10% compared to the same period in 2011, and nevertheless, in the summer, the Prime Minister announced an increase in value added tax by 3% (to 21%), a decrease in unemployment benefits, decreasing traditional Christmas bonuses. There are no prerequisites for a decrease in the level of protests in Spain in the coming months.
