He says that the economy is not at "decreasing levels" and bets on European funds to maintain "positive growth"
PAMPLONA, 28 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) -
The general secretary of the UGT, Pepe Álvarez, has considered the decision of the European Central Bank (ECB) to raise interest rates to 2% an "error" and has asked the Government of Spain to create a "solidarity fund" and to come "to the rescue of those families who cannot pay the mortgage".
Speaking to the media, before participating in an assembly in Pamplona, Álvarez stated that these measures "are being heavily discussed, even within the ECB itself" and considered that "prescriptions from the past are being applied that surely have little to do with the reasons why inflation is rising right now in the European Union".
Thus, he has hoped that "they do not persist in the error but that, finally, they are aware that inflation can be lowered and, for that, it is not necessary to raise interest rates".
Álvarez has demanded that the Government of Spain create a "solidarity fund that can help those families that have a mortgage with a variable interest rate" and cannot assume the payments. "I already know that good banking practices is a path that the first vice-president of the Government -Nadia Calviño- does not like very much; in reality, there are only a few good banking practices, which are bad for users and good for them, to have more benefits," he said.
"The State cannot wait for many families to go bankrupt and for us to start an eviction process," warned the UGT leader, who stressed that "today many people pay double the mortgage they paid before the rise in the types and I believe that Spain, which has been rescuing many groups, especially many companies that had difficulties, in justice today must make an effort, create a fund and come to the rescue of those families who cannot pay the mortgage".
Asked about the latest GDP data, with growth of 0.2% in the third quarter, Álvarez admitted that "indeed, growth, as expected, is falling but not at declining levels."
"It is evident that the Spanish economy is in a process of slowing down growth, as is happening in the continent as a whole, but, as such difficult and complex times had been predicted for us, we almost see it with a certain relief", he pointed out. In this regard, he stressed that "since May it seems that the prospect of falling growth in Spain is going to be tremendous" and "now the term technical recession has been invented".
"Indeed, growth, as expected, is falling but not to declining levels and I think that one very important thing that must be maintained is job creation," he stressed. In this sense, he has considered that if the 'Next Generation' funds are developed, we can continue with a situation of "positive growth".
