The Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, has announced more sweeping austerity measures; including a rise in VAT and other taxes, increases to spending cuts and suspending Christmas bonuses for civil servants.
The measures are designed to cut Euro65BN from Spain's budget deficit by 2014.
Among the measures proposed are a 3% rise in VAT, cuts in unemployment benefit and civil service pay and perks. There will also be new indirect taxes on energy, plans to privatise ports, airports and rail assets and a reversal of property tax breaks.
For the moment, it appears that pensions have come out of the cuts unscathed. However, as and when the plans unravel, doubtless pensions will be placed on the altar for sacrifice to the gods of austerity.
Spanish banks will receive up to Euro100BN of aid, whilst the Spanish people pay the price of saving the banks.
Suffice to say, the plan will unravel.
