Spanish PM hails governments 4-year achievements as election draws closer

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Saturday during a speech delivered at a meeting of his ruling Popular Party (PP) highlighted what he sees as the achievements of his government after four years in power.

The meeting held in the city of Toledo, which was attended by key PP figures and government ministers, can be seen as the launch of the pre-election campaign by Rajoy's party as the next general election set for Dec. 20 this year is drawing near.

"When I was invested as Prime Minister, I said that the government was going to stop rising unemployment, strengthen economic growth and create employment... we have fulfilled that and we can say it with pride," he said, adding that in 2011 "companies were closing, there was no investment and no perspective of growth."

"We lived under the threat of bankruptcy and even leaving the Euro... Now who speaks about the Spanish risk premium?" he asked, telling his audience there were "less people out of work, more people paying social security and more people working than four years ago."

Regarding the pro-independence moves in northeastern Spanish region of Catalonia, saying "the honor of belonging to a country is not just anything... We were the first country in Europe to be united and we are not willing to play with something which belongs to all of us."

Source: XINHUA