Spain Papers Review - Monday February 22 2010
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By h.b. - Feb 22, 2010 - 7:33 AM
It's mostly politics again on the front pages of the Spanish papers today

El País has a front page photo of a street full of rubble after the flooding on Madeira. The paper says that the search for the dead is underway after the 15 hours of torrential rain has called at least 42 deaths and more than 100 injuries.

El Mundo, once again, pours doubt on the verdict and sentence in the Madrid Train Bombing case. The paper has now found video recordings which they say shows the concern of the Police and Guardia Civil technicians who did not believe the type of explosives used. Titadyn was said to have been used and not Goma 2 ECO, the latter normally used by ETA. The paper has been broadcasting the videos on its Veo 7 Television Channel overnight. The paper puts a still on its front page as it revives the conspiracy theory yet again.

El País has more revelations in the Gürtel case and says that Hacienda has uncovered a 3.8 million € fraud carried out by nine top PP members linked to the businesses of Francisco Correa.

ABC leads with more from the ETA informants’ case, and headlines that ETA was convinced by the person who tipped them off that he was untouchable, days before.
La Razón has a poll which shows that most Spaniards have no idea what the Faisán case is about.

El Mundo reports that the Prime Minister, speaking at a party rally in Málaga on Sunday, said he will be firm with the market and flexible with the businessmen. The paper notes that Zapatero and the party needed a rally.
El País notes that Zapatero asked Rajoy for help, but did so after blaming the PP for the massive unemployment. The Socialists blame the construction boom on Aznar.
El País also notes that wages last year for general workers fell by three times those of businessmen, according to the tax take where levels are back to the year 2007.
ABC says Zapatero has used patriotism to make a call to the PP to join a pact. The paper also notes that the Government is trying to evaluate the performance of the country’s civil servants.
La Razón says that Government will only pact cuts in spending and anti-bad debt measures with the PP. The paper claims that the Socialists consider that talks on the VAT increase and taxes are out of bounds.
Público notes Zapatero’s call to Rajoy – ‘I don’t ask that he helps the Government, but the country’.

Público has a five page report which claims that the predictions of bankruptcy for the pensions system are false. The paper says the predictions made in the 90’s by the banks and businesses were way off, and notes that the unions start a week of demonstrations today.

El País leads with an interview with the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He says that the EU has never made the demands on any country that it is making of his.

El Mundo notes the whistling during the National Anthem at the King’s Cup basketball final last night in the presence of the King and Queen at the Buzkaia Areaa. It notes also shouts of ‘fuera!’ – (out!).
La Razon says there were 35 seconds of whistling and 1 hour 37 minutes of good play.
El País tells us that it was an ex British spy who handed over the ransom for the Basque tuna boat, ‘Alakrana’ kidnapped by Somali pirates. The paper says that 2.7 million € was paid and the money came from the ship’s owners.

Público notes that a judge is to investigate a new charge of fraud against the Nueva Rumasa company, and that the United States culture industry has denounced that Spain does not protect author’s rights, with the publication of their 301 list.

El Mundo reports that AENA the Spanish Airports Authority has been awarding contracts in an irregular fashion.

El Mundo puts Cristiano Ronaldo on the front page as he shows his vest saying ‘Madeira’ after scoring as part of Real Madrid’s 6-2 thrashing of Villarreal.
ABC has a large front page photo of the Portuguese player.
Staying with sport, Fernando Alonso tells El Mundo that he’s more fun than he seems. He also tells the paper that Zapatero had better get it right, and Rajoy should collaborate for the good of Spain.

And finally,
La Razón says that the Ministry for Defence is to spend 90,000 € on a concert from Miguel Poveda for the EU Defence Ministers summit which is to be held in Palma.

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