Barça and Real Madrid go head to head this Thursday evening (10.30 pm CET) in the Camp Nou for the first trophy of the season. The third match in five days in the Camp Nou could feature Alex Song’s FC Barcelona debut.
Puyol opened the scoring with a header after just three minutes. The Basques drew level six minutes later through Chory Castro. Barça hit back with two goals from Leo Messi to make it 3-1 within the first 15 minutes. Pedro and the returning Villa rounded off the scoring with goals at the end of each half. It was an emphatic win in Tito Vilanova’s opening Spanish League game.
The Spanish Social Security has published the list with the 417 drugs that from September will no longer be subsidised in order to reduce public spending and meet deficit targets. Most of them are some of the most consumed medicines for minor symptoms, such as heartburn, muscle pain, or diarrhoea. Since the measure is not popular among doctors, the Catalan Health Minister, Boi Ruiz, said that more expensive drugs with similar effects but not included in the list may now be prescribed, which would increase pubic healthcare spending instead of reducing it.
FC Barcelona will make its Spanish League debut against the txuri-urdin, who, despite only winning three times at the Camp Nou, have strengthened their squad this summer and hope to finish in the top 6. The most notable additions to Real Sociedad are Chori Castro, José Ángel, on loan from Roma, and Carlos Vela, the team’s highest scorer last season - the player was purchased from Arsenal after being on loan last season.
With 5.13 billion in foreign sales in June, Catalan exports have grown by 6.6% over the same period in 2011. Amongst the Autonomous Communities, Catalonia ranks first for its export economy, in the first six months of this year Catalan companies sold up to €29.1 billion abroad. The increase in foreign exports and the fall in imports have reduced the trade deficit by 31% in the first six months of this year.
The Catalan Government’s drug prescription fee and the Spanish Executive’s decision to make citizens pay for a greater share of prescribed drugs have had an effect on inflation. The price of pharmaceutical products has had its highest increase since at least 2003.
Barça players face a hectic opening of the season, with five games in the first fifteen days - three league matches and the two Spanish Super Cup games against Real Madrid. In addition, next Monday’s Joan Gamper Estrella Damm Trophy pits them against Sampdoria.
Ivan Tibau, the Catalan Government’s Secretary of Sport, emphasises the “great effort” made by the Catalan Excutive to help the High Performance Sports Centre (CAR) and Catalan athletes compete in London 2012. The elite training centre did not receive funding from the Spanish Government for the last two years, amounting to €10.7 million. The Catalan Executive advanced the payment to keep the CAR running. Athletes trained at CAR made up 65% of medals won by the Spanish team at the London 2012 Olympics. Despite this, the Spanish Olympic Committee “closed the door” to the Catalan Government in regards to London 2012.
The President of the Catalan Government, Artur Mas, also talked about the delays of August payments to social care organisations, and he “hoped to be in a better situation” next month. However Mas could not give “a total guarantee” as it depends on whether the Spanish Government activates the Liquidity Fund for the Autonomies. In fact, Mas urged the Spanish Government to do so at the end of this month and said it is “illogical” to make a grand announcement about the measure and then not implement it.
The Catalan Government will allow universal access to community health centres, despite the Spanish Government’s decision. Autonomous Communities are those managing the public healthcare system. After announcing that immigrants would not be able to access the service without contributing to the Social Security system, the Spanish Government is now preparing formulas allowing them to continue accessing the public healthcare system if they pay the fee. The Spanish Health, Social Services and Equality has confirmed that foreign people less than 65 years old will pay €710 per year and those older will pay €1,860. Access will be free in emergencies as well as for pregnant women and minors.
The Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, has announced further budget cuts for 2013 and 2014, totalling an additional €89.1 billion. These budget cuts are to be added to those implemented between 2010 and 2012. Autonomous Communities will have to cut their budget by an additional €19 billion in 2013 and 2014, which is added to the €15 billion already announced in Spring affecting education and healthcare. However, no details of the €19 billion plan were provided. Rajoy stated that in 2014 the Spanish economy will grow by 1.2%, leaving the recession behind. With this plan, Spain’s public deficit for 2013 will be set at 4.5% and at 2.8% for 2014.
The Catalan Social Affairs Minister, Josep Lluís Cleries, stated before the Catalan Parliament that €70 million had not been paid on time to health and social care organisations this August. He said he was sorry for the situation but underlined that the €50 million destined for private citizens had been paid. The Catalan Finance Minister, Andreu Mas-Colell, emphasised that, if the Spanish Government does not activate the Liquidity Fund for the Autonomous Communities and similar measures, he cannot guarantee the situation will not be repeated in the future. However, he said to be confident the Spanish Government will put these mechanisms in place soon. The Left-Wing opposition parties had requested the urgent hearings.
Unemployment dropped in July by 784 people, which represents a 0.13% decrease compared to a month ago. It is the fifth consecutive month that the number of unemployed people has decreased in Catalonia, reaching 614,792 jobseekers. In the whole of Spain, unemployment decreased for the fourth month in a row, dropping by 0.6%. Long term unemployment and youth unemployment have decreased in Catalonia. However, compared to 12 months ago, general unemployment has increased by 7.8%. In addition, the number of indefinite new contracts dropped by 1.3% compared to a year ago.
The Catalan Minister for Territory and Sustainability, Lluís Recoder, has emphasised that “not attending a meeting as a protest does not mean not honouring the agreements”. Recoder was answering the Spanish Finance Minister, Cristóbal Montoro, who emphasised that all the Autonomies are obliged to meet the deficit and debt targets. Recoder said that Montoro’s words were not appropriate and unfair, since Catalonia has been leading austerity reforms and budget cuts in Spain.
Catalonia’s Executive blames the Spanish Government for not having transferred all this month’s economic resources and creating serious financial problems for the Autonomies, compelled to pay other financial obligations first. Social care organisations state that the service is guaranteed but that some employees might not receive their salary in time. In addition, despite that they are looking for solutions with the Catalan Government, they criticise the bad planning and are having to look for last minute solutions. Catalonia’s opposition parties have forced the Catalan Finance and Social Affairs Ministers to explain the situation to the Catalan Parliament.