Tourism and immigration behind 95 percent of Spain’s GDP growth, PM says Spain willing to participate in peacekeeping mission in Ukraine and more news on Thursday January 8th.
Tourism and immigration behind 95 percent of Spain’s GDP growth
Spain’s Independent Authority for Fiscal Responsibility (AIReF) has reported that 95 percent of Spanish GDP growth in the 2022-2024 period was due to tourism and immigration.
“We are observing a shift in consumption patterns towards services in many of the economies around us, and this is fostering the development of tourism and the export of services,” stated the president of AIReF.
Tourism accounted for 45 percent of this GDP increase, while the migrant workforce was responsible for the other 40 percent rise.
Despite Spain’s population increase, more immigrant workers won’t be enough to prevent a decline in the working-age population in the 2030s and decades to come, AIReF stressed.
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Ex-Spanish lawmaker to stand trial for sexual assault
A Spanish court has ordered former lawmaker Íñigo Errejón to stand trial on sexual assault charges, a case that has rattled the junior partners of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s coalition government.
Errejón, a former spokesman for far-left party Sumar, resigned from politics in 2024 after actor and TV presenter Elisa Mouliáa accused him of sexual assault.
A Madrid court said there was enough evidence to proceed to trial, according to a December 27th ruling made public Wednesday. A trial date has not been set.
Mouliaa alleges that Errejón engaged in unwanted touching and non-consensual kissing during a 2021 encounter.
She is seeking a three-year prison term and €30,000 ($35,000) in damages.
Errejón, a political theory scholar and self-described feminist, denies the claims, saying the encounter was consensual.
Alicante to trial new ‘smart’ anti-drought system
The city of Alicante is seeking to limit the use of water in the irrigation of its parks and gardens as much as possible with a new sensor system that will be tested in the Juan Pablo II park, a green space of 38,000 square metres.
The technology will monitor temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind, solar radiation, and other climatic parameters in real time, “adapting to the real needs of each area of the park.”
For example, if it has rained or rain is forecast, the system can automatically cancel or reduce irrigation; or if it detects that an area is consuming more water than normal, it can alert a possible leak.
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PM says Spain willing to participate in peacekeeping mission in Ukraine
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Wednesday opened the debate on sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine.
“The moment a ceasefire is agreed upon, a security guarantee framework will be proposed for Ukraine, in which the coalition of volunteers from these 35 countries will lend a hand and actively participate,” Sánchez said at a press conference in Paris.
“I am convinced that Spain must be part of this effort. I want to announce that next week I will contact most of the parliamentary groups to explain how I believe Spain should contribute, provided that peace is achieved and this invasion ends.
“Spain has always supported Ukraine’s accession to the EU”.
With additional reporting by AFP.
