Rajoy he recognizes “clouds” in 2017, urges dialogue to the leading Catalan – El Periodico de Mexico

MADRID (Reuters) – The president of the Spanish Government, Mariano Rajoy, made on Tuesday a forecast-optimistic about the year that has just begun, even though he acknowledged the existence of challenges both within and outside of Spain that could tarnish the “horizon of hope” to said a glimpse of after 2016 “politically tough”.

“This is the year 2017 presents us with a better horizon than could be imagined a few months ago, but is not exempt of serious clouds,” he said during a lunch informational, in which pulled chest by the figures of GDP and growth of employment recorded in 2016.

the leader of The people’s Party stressed that in 2017 it is expected that Spain will recover the level of GDP prior to the crisis, although he admitted that the country is still far from recovering the level of public revenue and of employment, with an unemployment rate of around 19 per cent of the active population.

On the challenges coming from the outside, Rajoy cited the Brexit as the main threat, recognizing that it would have a significant economic impact on the bilateral relations, given that one of every five foreign tourists who visit Spain is british and Uk is the leading investment destination of Spanish companies.

“My government will work to ensure that the exit of the Uk from the European Union occur in the most orderly possible, so that it is in a mutual benefit, and create the fewest number of problems to the british people and Spanish,” he said.

Rajoy also mentioned during his speech the inauguration of the new us president, Donald Trump, saying that Spain and the united States would remain strategic partners outside, who was the tenant of the White House, although he took the opportunity to advocate free trade.

“From those relations of friendship we will continue defending our convictions that pass for a model of society that is open and inclusive, multilateral cooperation and the freedom of trade,” he said.

with Respect to national challenges, Rajoy said that the major challenge that faced the spaniards was that of unity and national sovereignty, and it was especially hard when he reiterated his offer to the president Catalan, Carles Puigdemont, who intends to call a referendum for independence this year.

“My hand is still stretched out (…) some political leaders in Catalonia they would be better off if they were looking for that hand outstretched in time to be embraced radicalism and crippled by extremism,” he said.

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