2013 has been the first year in history with two popes and the last year for Nelson Mandela. It has been yet another year of financial crisis but also the year that brought us the Higgs boson and the resurrection of Nadal. Here we have made a selection of some of the most important stories to hit the Spanish press during the last twelve months:
Train Accident Santiago de Compostela
On July 24, 79 people died and 150 were injured when a high-speed train derailed short of Santiago de Compostela becoming one of the worst train accidents in recent history. The train entered a curve at over 200km/h, which was limited to a maximum speed of 80km/h, shortly after answering a telephone call from the ticket inspector, however the Judge ruling on the case inclines towards multiple causes not just the distraction of the driver…
Train Accident Santiago
The End of the Parot Doctrine
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) struck down Spain’s “Parot doctrine” – a legal way to ensure terrorists and other long-term convicts are not released significantly before the end of their terms.
In agreeing with an appeal against her prolonged stay in prison by convicted ETA terrorist Inés del Río, the Strasbourg court’s ruling meant that 61 ETA prisoners and at least 14 common criminals could be released immediately. Seventy-six other Basque terrorists could benefit from the decision in the mid-to-long term, according to the Spanish Interior Ministry.
Article Parot Doctrine 1
Article Parot Doctrine 2 - ETA Terrorist released
Catalan Referendum
CATALUNYA'S regional president says a referendum on independence will definitely go ahead next year, and that when 2014 comes, he will set the exact date.
Artur Mas' determination to put Catalunya's secession bid to the vote comes in response to regional socialist leader Pere Navarro Morera's criticising him for 'deceiving the people of Catalunya' by talking about 'a referendum they know they are not going to do'.
In September over 1.6 million residents of the north-eastern region of Catalunya formed a human chain of over 400 kilometres long in support of their government's bid to become a separate country.
1.6 million unite for independence
Catalan Referendum
6,000,000 plus unemployed for first time in history
Spain's unemployment rate jumped to a record high of 27.2 percent this year. According to Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE) some 6.2 million people were without work in the second quarter of this year.
The Spanish statistics body reported that the nation's unemployment rate shot up from 26.02 percent in the last quarter of 2012 to 27.16 percent in the first three months of this year.
Unemployment hits record high
Lifetime companies go into receivership
The crisis has finally left its mark on companies, which have been around for decades. Companies, which were the backbone of many sectors, have been knocked to their feet. Fagor white goods went into receivership leading to the loss of 100’s of jibs in the Basque country. Panrico the bread and doughnut company was forced to fire 1000 employees to save the company, Blanco the clothes chain fired 700 employees and the holiday company Orizonia fired all of their employees, more than 2000 before disappearing for good. Pescanova the national fish company also went into receivership and is negotiating a merger with Mercadona.
White goods manufacturer goes under
Spain comes out of recession
Spain leaves technical recession but the crisis continues Spanish president Mariano Rajoy told The Wall Street Journal and the rest of the world that the country was officially 'out of recession', but 'not out of the financial crisis'.
The PP leader said his aim was a 'rigorous recovery' which allowed Spain to 'create employment'. He also stated his intentions to stand for elections again at the end of 2015.
Spain out of recession
State pension no longer linked to CPI
State pensions to be no longer CPI-linked In December the State pension reform was passed and all pensions from 2014 onwards will no longer be valued according to the CPI. A new index of value will be applied marking a minimum annual increase of 0,25% and a maximum of CPI+0,5%. So if the index is less than the increase in the cost of living, pensioners will loose purchasing power.
Gibraltar – Spain crisis
With Gibraltar having just celebrated their 300th anniversary of British reign, Spanish fishermen staged a protest at the Gibraltar border over the artificial concrete reef that they claim is damaging their work area.
According to Spanish fishermen from the province of Cádiz, they lost over 1.5 million euros in profits since the Gibraltarian authorities began to 'hinder' their work. This kicked off a political tug-of-war between the two governments as the Spanish started to stage extreme border inspections causing queues which lasted over eight hours to cross the border.
Gibraltar celebrates 300 anniversary
Spanish fishermen demonstrate over losses
New Education Reform
Congress approved in 2013 the 7th education reform in the history of Spain with the only support of the PP and the protest of the majority of teachers, pupils and parents. The new law for education will start to be implanted with the 2014-2015 coursework. Amongst the novelties are assessment exams at different stages throughout the year and an increase in hours for religion, which will once again be compulsory and count towards your final marks. It also would change the importance of local languages within the teaching system. This reform led to two national strikes and autonomous regions declaring they would not implement it. The opposition also stated that as soon as they were in government again they would remove the law.
Country wide strikes over education reform
Nationwide demonstration
Abortion Reform
Justice minister Alberto Ruíz-Gallardón announced plans to bring the new abortion law into effect before the end of this year. A law which has caused much unrest amongst the population.
Meetings were held with the cabinet to finalise the content, which he stressed would 'respect the historic discourse' of the PP on the subject.
Many of the elements introduced by the previous socialist government will be eliminated. These include allowing a woman to terminate a pregnancy before a certain time on any grounds, although a psychologist's report would normally be needed if her physical or mental health or that of the child were not at risk.
They also include the fact that at present, girls aged 16 or 17 but under 18 do not need their parents' consent to terminate a pregnancy.
Now, anyone under 18 will need written permission from their parents or guardians to have an abortion. Effectively, legal abortion at free-will within a time limit, as it has been upto now, will be abolished.
Abortion law restrictions in place by end of year
Barcenas Files
One of the biggest corruption scandals in recent history as it affects the governing political party directly and accusations were made to the involvement of the President Rajoy. EX-TREASURER of the PP Luis Bárcenas allegedly owned up to 'illegal' financing of the party by companies in exchange for preferential treatment and he also admitted and supplied internal documents allegedly proving that the political party ran parallel accounts with black money and also paid back-handers and bonuses to certain politicians.
Barcenas admits to illegal financing
Duke Of Palma Files
This is biggest scandal to hit the Royal family since they have been in power. Charges against the King and Queen's son-in-law Iñaki Urdangarín are enough to put him in jail for 23 years and his co-director from the Nóos Institute, Diego Torres, behind bars for 19 years.
They do not face charges for money-laundering since this was not a crime as such between 2004 and 2008, when the offences were committed. But both could be formally accused of six criminal activities – misuse of public funds, power-dealing, forgery, fraud, and two counts of tax evasion. Torres and Urdangarín each look set to face a fine of 3.5 million euros. Urdangarín, who is also the Duke of Palma, is believed to have deliberately used his status as a member of the Royal family by marriage to drum up support for the Nóos Institute, which purported to be a charitable foundation seeking to promote sports and cultural events.
In practice, however, it was a profit-making company which proved very lucrative to its two directors at the taxpayer's cost.
Urdangarin criminal charges
Nadal recovers Nº1 ranking
2013 has been a remarkable year for Rafa Nadal after coming back from a serious knee injuryhe made sure he finished the year ranked No.1 in the world again after battling hard to overcome Stanislas Wawrinka 7-6, 7-6 at the ATP World Tour Finals in London.
It is the third time Nadal has finished a year top of the rankings, following similar success in 2008 and 2010.
He was also the first man through to the semi-finals of the end-of-year event, with two straight-set wins from two group stage matches, having already beaten fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 6-3, 6-2 in the Group A opener. Top seed Nadal, who has never won the season-ending event, improved to a 12-0 head-to-head record against Wawrinka, with the Swiss No. 2 yet to win a set off him.
Rafael Nadal was also presented with the “Legend Award” at the sports daily Marca’s silver anniversary gala in Madrid, after being selected by the paper's readers as the best Spanish athlete of all-time.
Nadal reclaims Nº1 ranking
World Champion Rookie in MotoGP
Marc Márquez has made history as the youngest-ever MotoGP World Champion and the first since Kenny Roberts in 1978 to scoop up the title in his first-ever year. He is also the youngest MotoGP rider to win at the Circuit of the Americas, during the Grand Prix in April, and to win four consecutive races and the first in history to win six in his first-ever year at this level of the sport.
Rookie world champion Moto GP
Spain - Handball World Champions
The national side became Handball world champions by beating the powerful Danish side 35-19. This was the first time that Spain had hosted the world cup for Hand Ball. This win was particularly important as this sport is currently going through one of it worst periods due to the economic crisis. Spain can now boast at being world champion in Football, Basketball, Handball and Tennis.