MADRID: IMF chief Christine Lagarde declared yesterday that Spain’s economy has “turned the corner” but warned it must now focus on creating jobs to battle a 26-percent unemployment rate.
Spain’s economy grew in the second half of 2013 after a two-year downturn, the International Monetary Fund chief noted at an economic conference in Bilbao, northern Spain.
Spanish unemployment was gradually improving, financial conditions were better, and exports had grown sharply, the IMF managing director said. “Spain has turned the corner,” Lagarde said.
She recalled that Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy had said his government’s task was to achieve a vigorous recovery capable of creating jobs. “We fully agree,” Lagarde said.
“Creating jobs must be the overriding priority for policy makers,” she added. “What does that mean in practical terms? It means there can be no let-up in the reform momentum. The strong reform momentum that has served the Spanish economy well so far needs to continue.”
Spain enacted labour market reforms in 2012 making it easier to negotiate changes to work conditions and cheaper for companies to lay off staff. But the government must now go further, Lagarde said. “Reform of the labour market needs to be deepened, not to the benefit of those who have a job but in order to benefit all those who want to have a job,” she said.
Lagarde called on Spain’s government to lower the tax costs of employing people, especially the low-paid, improve training, and give the jobless help in finding work. AFP
