Zapatero promises economic recovery in 2010

 

Zapatero stated today that the Spanish economy is in a "transition period" between recession and recovery and that this "would be confirmed in 2010".

The press conference was held this morning following the final meeting of the council of ministers for 2009, when he assured journalists that the government's priority for 2010 was to move from "the huge loss of employment to moderation in this loss and on to job creation" by the end of the year.

He also admitted that the unemployment figures currently being seen in Spain were "tough, high, very high" and that they were going to need "extra effort and constant work to ensure that hundreds of thousands of workers have the chance to find a job".

Zapatero also said that there would be "greater agility" in the economy next year and that productivity would improve. He went on to underline the fact that the government had, in his opinion, "maintained social cohesion, protection and harmony right from the start, even though the country was going through a very harsh economic crisis".

He stated how the government's promises to "increase unemployment protection, dependency, minimum pensions and social rights" had been achieved over the past few years.