Spain ... economy, pain, protests: what's the future?

[Janet]

They're going to tax lottery wins, too - 20% on wins over €2500.

[Nova]

They're going to tax lottery wins, too - 20% on wins over €2500.

  As if the government doesn't already get a share of all the lottery tickets sold regardless of winners!

[Guanche]

If their reduced to these penny pinching bottom of the barrel  measures this year, what the hell are they going to do next year!!!! Remembering that this year isn't over yet!
I would have thought that fast track (months instead of decades) prosecutions for public sector corruption and increased sentencing for those found guilty would have added a grain of sugar.

[Delderek]

Just a small thing, but may be relevant. Went to buy some Antibiotics, which I normally do on my visit. Farmacia, stated, basically haven't any in stock, as far as I could make out, they have not been paid by the Govt for 4 months, and had no money to re-stock!!

[Janet]

It's a huge problem ... many farmacias are said to be nearing bankruptcy, though that's a Canarian government issue, rather than a national one. 

[NAH]

It has gotten to the point where Spain's persistent deterioration is now seen as positive as it inevitably will bring about the Government requesting assistance sooner rather than later

Quote from an email from the World First website

[Janet]

a few of the autonomous regions have asked for internal "rescue" within Spain .... and the Canaries has just joined them ...

Canarias pide el rescate para obtener 757 millones que necesita de liquidez

[Janet]

What a prescient thread!! Only today in the BBC is THIS report about the first ever Red Cross appeal for Spain ... how long did we deny being a third-world country??

Where will this all end?

[Guanche]

At least 5 homeless people have been found dead on the streets of Santa Cruz and La Laguna in the last four weeks. Now I don't know if this is normal or just a blip like the people recently drowning in the sea seems to be. But five seems to be a lot. The wife said it was seven but I heard five. Sign of the times?

[Janet]

A lot of them have been long-term homeless, and where I think it's starting to affect them is the reduction in available immediate healthcare, closure of soup-kitchens, closure of red-cross facilities, etc. This is the beginning ...

(There were 5 a little while ago, 2 lately, so perhaps that's the discrepancy??)