Politics
government
Politics
The Spanish Government to transfer to Catalonia the €1.7 billion cancelled in October
Culture
Barcelonan Luís Goytisolo is awarded Spain’s National Literature Prize
Politics
Franco crimes and Catalan President’s murder are investigated by Argentina
Society
Number of Catalan speakers rising despite adverse context
Politics
Israel and Catalonia strengthen their business, scientific and political relations
Politics
Catalan Socialists to oppose any self-determination initiative without Madrid’s approval
Society
Catalan chemists go on strike again for arrears
On Thursday morning most of Catalonia’s chemists’ were closed and their owners and employees were demonstrating on the street. They were protesting because neither the Catalan nor the Spanish Government is paying them on time for the prescribed drugs, which they have to buy in advance with their own money. It is the second time since October 2012 that they have been protesting for the same reason. The situation improved slightly a few months ago, but delays in the Spanish Government’s transfers of money to Catalonia have made the Catalan Executive unable to pay on time and a significant debt has accumulated. According to the chemists, they are owed €416 million, corresponding to the last 4 months.
Politics
Catalan Parliament rejects a “unilateral” self-determination referendum
The Parliament of Catalonia rejected a proposal to call for a “unilateral” self-determination referendum in the event that the Spanish State “blocked” the possibility of organising a vote by agreement. The motion was rejected with the votes of the Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition (CiU) – which runs the Catalan Government – and the three parties defending the unity of Spain: the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC), the People’s Party (PP) – which runs the Spanish Government, and the anti-Catalan nationalism and populist party Ciutadans (C’s). The motion supporting the idea of calling for a self-determination referendum in “a unilateral way” had been presented by the radical left-wing and independence party CUP, which has only 3 MPs in the 135-seat chamber. However it was also backed by the second-largest group, the Left-Wing Catalan Independence Party (ERC) and some of the MPs from the Catalan Green Socialist and Communist Coalition (ICV-EUiA).
Business
The Financial Times gives its fDi Awards to a Catalan Government agency and Barcelona
Politics
Catalan Government’s budget for 2014 to have a 1% deficit, more social spending and further privatisations
Business
Catalonia’s GDP to grow by 0.9% in 2014 with a 23.1% unemployment rate according to Catalan Government
Politics
Spain’s Prime Minister Rajoy rejects a constitutional change to fit Catalonia better within Spain
Business
Catalan unemployment increased by 12,921 people in October and represented the third consecutive month of growth
Society