The executive vice president of the European Commission and responsible for Competition, Margrethe Vestager , rejects the plan of Podemos to keep Bankia in state hands after having received 22,424 million euros public with a community loan. "The commitments must be fulfilled," says Vestager before a group of Spanish journalists outside the plenary of the European Parliament he attends this week.

Asked about the Podemos plan for Bankia, the Danish commissioner explains that when Brussels accepted that certain banks receive State aid, it was understood that a series of future promises, including privatization, would be respected . "The two elements go together, they are part of a package," he says, stressing that "it is a reflection not specific to Bankia, but valid for all banks in similar circumstances." And it underlines the effect that it would not have to fulfill the privatization commitment due to unfair competition that would imply for those who did not receive public support.

Vestager does show flexibility with the privatization calendar. "In the European Commission we understand that when there is a new government, there are things that slow down for a while," he concedes. To immediately emphasize that the horizon must be the same.

His position contrasts radically with the electoral program of the new Government partner of Pedro Sánchez . We can present to the elections with this promise to their voters: «Prevent the imminent privatization of Bankia, after the Spaniards and the Spaniards have spent 60 billion euros in bank bailout (...) At least, we must Take advantage of this resource now to introduce competition in the sector, ensure that the most productive and dynamic elements of our system have access to credit - such as the autonomous and autonomous, SMEs and social economy companies -, introduce justice parameters in the mortgage market and attend to the social functions of banking that other entities neglect, such as cashiers in empty Spain or investments in social housing ». And he promised to promote "immediately a new presidency of Bankia that is capable of understanding the role that public banks must play in improving the country."

Acting Economy Minister Nadia Calviño has defended privatization so far, but decided to postpone it last year until the end of 2021 because of its low price. Yesterday it closed at 1.87 euros, when in the first placement of shares of the financial entity in 2017 it was above four euros.

On the other hand, Vestager defends that neither Spain nor any other member country already implants the so-called Google Rate. "It is better with an OECD agreement," he says. However, it shares the calendar set by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen , to launch it in the EU if there has not been an international consensus by the end of 2020.

"It is unsustainable what technology groups are paying as taxes," protests the liberal Danish Eurofunctional, which also drives a new regulation so that they have no more lax rules than data protection banking.

On the other hand, the European Commission presented its annual report on member states with economic imbalances and warned that those of Spain continue because of their “problems related to external sustainability, private and public debt in a context of high unemployment and weak growth of the economy. productivity".

The fourth economy of the euro is still very much in line with the unemployment rate. "Unemployment continues at a very high level and above pre-crisis levels, especially among young and less skilled workers."

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  • Ursula von der Leyen
  • European Parliament
  • Nadia Calviño
  • Unemployment

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