social

The Spanish Vice President for Economy Elena Salgado refused the idea proposed by three Catalan parties to allow mortgage holders end their debt by returning their house to the bank. This measure already exists in the US and other countries. In Spain, a country with a high unemployment rate, many people are not able to afford to pay their mortgage. However, at the moment, debt does not disappear when banks execute mortgages and take away the house. Salgado wants to keep the current system in order not to harm the banks and thus the recovery, but at a high social price.

Jordi Cuminal will have the task of communicating the government's activities to Catalan citizens. Communications is one of the most challenging departments, and was a serious test for his predecessor

The new Catalan Minister for Social Welfare and Family was the CiU’s representative in the Catalan Parliament for this portfolio for the seven years in which the CiU was in the opposition. He comes from the scout and volunteering world, in which he has been very active over the last 40 years. He also worked with the Catalan Government in secondary positions in Jordi Pujol’s times.

Catalonia is the autonomous community with the highest number of foreigners receiving social security benefits. The data shows a 1.23% decrease compared to September of last year.

On the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, NGOs ask the Government to focus on policies that reduce social exclusion.

The Catalan Group on the Future of Europe sent their conclusions to the Reflection Group on the Future of Europe before the Reflection Group presented their results to the European Council. Today’s event was a way to foster debate in Catalonia on these issues and a way to show the results from the analysis by the Catalan Group on the Future of Europe. President of the Reflection Group on the Future of Europe 2020-2030 (and former Spanish PM) Felipe González. has summed up the conclusions.

Economic crisis is hitting some families unmercifully. 40,000 families that could not pay back their mortgage have lost their homes, according to a study made by the General Workers’ Union (UGT) and a consumers association presented today. A judicial procedure that permits banks and savings banks to survey homes and put them up for auction for 50% of their value is putting thousands of families in the risk of social exclusion.

Some 1,300 families will soon have access to government pensions in cases of family separation if the pension is not paid by the part with this duty. The Catalan Government approved the funds today that will cover pensions and alimentary compensation for those in this situation.

The Barcelona City Hall has invested 6.8 million euros to the development of social centres that will attend to families with a high risk for social exclusion. The Centre Obert of Sant Martí is an example of the success of social centres.

A new law has just been approved that would give 60,000 people access to health care that previously did not have it. The majority of these individuals are liberal professionals who do not pay social security, members of religious groups, and members of s