Spain’s public sector debt to be exposed

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Series Title
Series Details 27.2.12
Publication Date 27/02/2012
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The Spanish Government announced on the 24 February 2012 that it planned to arrange payment of up to €30bn in overdue bills for rubbish collection and other services owed by municipalities, as a first stage to pay a big backlog of debt from local, regional and national public authorities. this was seen as a move that would benefit suppliers but would also help to expose the true size of the country’s public sector debt.

Spain’s accumulated public debt was officially due to reach 67.8% of gross domestic product at the end of 2011.

But economists said bills left unpaid by the central, regional and municipal governments – and other state liabilities or contingent liabilities not yet included in official European Union calculations of public debt – meant that the true burden was rising and was much higher than the published figure.

Related Links
El País, 24.2.12: Suppliers who accept discounts to get paid first http://elpais.com/elpais/2012/02/24/inenglish/1330113458_145897.html
ESO: Background information: Madrid presses EU to ease deficit targets http://www.europeansources.info/record/madrid-presses-eu-to-ease-deficit-targets/

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