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Spain Papers Review - Wednesday March 10 2010
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By h.b. - Mar 10, 2010 - 7:29 AM
The weather in Cataluña yesterday and pensions dominate many of the papers in Spain today

As Cataluña recovers from the heavy snowfall yesterday, El Mundo notes that the Catalan Weather Service predicted less snow than the National Meteorological Agency. The paper says that Councillor for the Interior of the Catalan Government, Joan Saura, used the regional forecast to justify the chaos and gridlock seen in Barcelona yesterday. El Mundo adds that experts in forecasting think it absurd that there are regional weather services anyway.
El País reports that more than 180,000 people are still without power in Cataluña after the snowfall, and that the President of the region, José Montilla, has blamed the chaos on the power companies. El País shows a family huddled round a candle on a table.
La Razón notes that the Generalitat has blamed the weathermen for the chaos.


El Mundo leads with the comment from the Minister for Employment, Celestino Corbacho, recommending people take out private pension plans. The paper says that meanwhile his ‘number two’ left it in the air whether the Government would reform the public pensions system or not.
ABC also leads with the private pensions comment from the Minister, and says that it has awoken the ghosts on the future of the public system. The paper notes the PP has called on him to stop ‘creating uncertainty’ and alarm.
Público leads with the story and says that Corbacho is promoting private pension plans, and highlights a quote, ‘If you ask me whether it is good to have a complementary pension plan, my answer is yes. I have had one for some years’.
La Razón leads with the headline that the Government owes 10 billion to the pensions reserve fund. The paper says the Ministry for Employment justifies the lack of the money by the delays in the payment of social security by businesses, while the opposition claims the money has been spent on unemployment pay.
Público notes that the Minister for Tax and the Economy, Elena Salgado, has admitted that ‘perhaps’ it was a mistake to cancel Patrimonial Tax.

ABC is the only paper to have the story of the expected release of one of the three Catalan aid workers kidnapped by Al Qaeda in Mauritania. The paper has a large front page photo of Alicia Gámez who has spent 100 days in captivity.

El País leads with a possible reform of the Penal Code and says the Government is proposing obligatory jail for those in public office found to be corrupt. The paper notes the PP is adding an amendment to approve live prison sentences.

Margarita Robles, one of the members of the General Council for Judicial Power, has said that she will abstain in the case of the possible suspension of National Court Judge, Baltasar Garzón. She is one of three whom the judge said should recuse themselves. El Mundo puts the story on the front page.
El País says that she has also said that Garzón should have done the same in the GAL case.
ABC says the Socialist party has continued to praise Garzón despite criticism for doing so.

El Mundo highlights the ETA tip-off case again, and a PP comment on the ex Police Chief, Victor García Hidalgo, who they say will always have a good job while his bad memory continues. It’s a reference to his amnesia in court in the case.

El País notes that the EU is to limit speculative operations on the currency markets against countries. A plan is being studied by the European Commission, according to the paper.

El Mundo reports that 254 victims of the Madrid train bombings in 2004 have still not applied for compensation.

El País reports on more cases of sexual abuse affecting the Church. They have emerged in religious schools in Germany, Holland and Austria, and the paper considers have increased the pressure on the Vatican to pay compensations.

Público notes that Israel has laughed at the visiting Biden by announcing more colonies.

El Mundo has a front page photo of Manuel Chaves caught yawning in the Senate yesterday, despite a row between the Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and the PP Spokesman, Pío García-Escudero, who accused him of a shameful attitude to the dictatorships which have no respect for human rights, such as Cuba or Venezuela.
Público points out that PP Prime Minister, José María Aznar met with Hugo Chávez ten times, and with Fidel Castro three times.

El Mundo includes a supplement today on education which lists the 100 best private and public schools across the country.

And finally,
As debate continues on whether Spanish MP’s should be made to work in January and July, La Razón asks about March as well, with a large front page photo showing 300 empty seats during a debate in Congress yesterday. The debate was on whether the deputies should work more.

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