NHK英字ニュース（Spain unveils 27 bil. euro debt-reduction package）

今日は、「スペイン負債低減方策」です。

Spain unveils 27 bil. euro debt-reduction package


Spain has unveiled a debt-reduction package worth 27 billion euros, or about 36 billion dollars, that includes a freeze on pay hikes for civil servants.

The Spanish government led by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced on Friday a central government budget plan for the rest of 2012.

The budget plan is designed to cut spending of central government offices by an average of 17 percent.

The government says it's the biggest deficit cut since Spain regained democracy in 1977 after the fall of the dictatorship.

The budget plan is also aimed at reducing the country's fiscal deficit to 5.3 percent of the gross domestic product from 8.5 percent last year.

Spain is in dire financial straits due to a prolonged economic downturn and its unemployment rate stands at 23 percent, the highest among eurozone countries.

Unemployment for Spain's youths remains extremely high. One out of 2 young workers is jobless.

Attention is now focused on whether Spain, the 4th largest economy in the eurozone, can achieve its fiscal reconstruction goals.


【単語】
unveil；公開する
hike；（給料などの）引き上げ
civil servants；公務員
deficit ；不足、赤字
dictatorship;奪還する
dictatorship；独裁
dire ；大、恐ろしい
strait；困難
prolong；長引かす
downturn；低迷


【一言】
この記事でびっくりしたこと。
１．若者の半分は、無職。
２．ヨーロッパで４番目の経済規模。
イギリス、フランス、ドイツが上位三位って事で、その次ってことでしょうか。
大学生の頃（２０年くらい前）、一人スペインに行ったことあります。
マドリッドとバルセロナに行きました。
明るく陽気な国民性で、食べ物がとってもおいしかった事覚えてます。
ギリシャみたいに、ぼろぼろにならなきゃいいですが。。