| Στο 150,3% του ΑΕΠ ή στα 300,807 δισ. ευρώ αυξήθηκε το χρέος της Ελλάδας στο δεύτερο τρίμηνο του 2012, σύμφωνα με τα στοιχεία που δημοσιοποίησε η ευρωπαϊκή στατιστική αρχή Eurostat την Τετάρτη. Στο δεύτερο τρίμηνο του 2011 το δημόσιο χρέος της Ελλάδας ήταν στο 158,8% του ΑΕΠ ή 340,906 δισ. ευρώ. Το πρώτο τρίμηνο του 2012 το χρέος υποχώρησε στο 136,9% του ΑΕΠ ή 280,423 δισ. ευρώ, μετά την αναδιάρθρωση του ελληνικού χρέους, στη συνέχεια, ωστόσο, αυξήθηκε λόγω των νέων δανείων που έλαβε η χώρα από την Ευρωζώνη. Σύμφωνα με τη Eurostat, τα δάνεια των κυβερνήσεων της Ευρωζώνης προς την Ελλάδα ανήλθαν το δεύτερο τρίμηνο στο 1,6% του ΑΕΠ της Ευρωζώνης. |
Last month over a million Catalonians marched for independence in Barcelona. Opinion polls say that support in the province for separation from Spain has doubled since the economic crisis started – and some polls put it at over 50 per cent. The Economist sees a clear link with the economic crisis, noting recently: "Whereas one-third of Catalans are convinced separatists, many others are simply enraged by their taxmoney propping up poorer regions." Meanwhile in Belgium, Bart de Wever's nationalist New Flemish Alliance did well in Flanders' local elections, and de Wever has become mayor of Antwerp. Like Catalan separatists, the Flemish dislike subsidising their poorer neighbours in Wallonia. The two events seem to suggest a trend. But while bailouts and the austerity that stems from the euro crisis are making central governments unpopular throughout Europe, Spain's and Belgium's woes may be a poor predictor of developments elsewhere.
The growing support for independence in Catalonia is only partly driven by the crisis. Jordi Vaquer of the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs notes that the Partido Popular's (PP) return to power in Madrid in 2012 bears some responsibility for the surge of pro-independence sentiment in Catalonia. The conservative PP blames Spain's budgetary woes on the provinces' profligacy (they represent 40 per cent of total public spending in Spain). The Madrid government has set out to tighten control over the regions' finances. Many in Catalonia think the PP is using the crisis as an excuse to pursue their longstanding agenda of curbing regional autonomy. They note that Spain's economic woes are mainly the result of excessive private sector borrowing, over which the provinces have had no control.
The growing support for independence in Catalonia is only partly driven by the crisis. Jordi Vaquer of the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs notes that the Partido Popular's (PP) return to power in Madrid in 2012 bears some responsibility for the surge of pro-independence sentiment in Catalonia. The conservative PP blames Spain's budgetary woes on the provinces' profligacy (they represent 40 per cent of total public spending in Spain). The Madrid government has set out to tighten control over the regions' finances. Many in Catalonia think the PP is using the crisis as an excuse to pursue their longstanding agenda of curbing regional autonomy. They note that Spain's economic woes are mainly the result of excessive private sector borrowing, over which the provinces have had no control.



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