Statement by President of the Government upon arrival at European People's Party Congress

Madrid

Q.-Can you assess the unemployment figures please, Mr President of the Government?

President of the Government.- The unemployment figures are very good, but the most important thing is to continue now at this steady pace, isn't it?

I have said that in the next term of office, if we do things right, we can create some 2 million jobs in Spain over the course of four years, at a rate of half a million per year. And today's figures allow us to say that this is very possible, because in this last year more than half a million people have found a job.

Unemployment has fallen, but what is important now is not the past, but persevering, maintaining the same economic policy, and hence, trying to achieve this in the future. This is fundamental, because it now allows us to fully guarantee pensions, it enables us to improve them, and hence, improve our public services.

This is the challenge for the future, the challenge for the next four years and the goal towards which we will work.

Q.- Artur Mas spoke about a "big game hunt" of Convergència Democrática. What do you feel about that?

President of the Government.- We live in a democracy and our judiciary is free and independent, and our judges take the decisions that they feel adhere to the law. Hence, I must obviously say that I respect, in this case, in each and every case, the decisions taken by the courts.

Here we have very clear the functions of each power: the legislative passes laws and keeps the government in check; the executive governs and the judiciary ensures that the conduct of society is in line with the law. And all of us, whether Mr Mas, or Mariano Rajoy, of whoever else, is subject to the law and to what the courts rule. Hence, that is my position.