Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is to forgo his summer holiday and stay in Madrid to analyse the country's economic situation, government sources said Tuesday, dpa reported
Spain rose out of recession in the first quarter, but concerns persist over the state of its economy. Zapatero's worries include an unemployment of 20 per cent, the highest in Western Europe.
Zapatero, who usually takes his summer holiday in August, will now only take time off on weekends, the sources said, explaining that he wanted to prepare a key parliamentary debate on the 2011 budget.
King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia would also cut their holidays short to save money during the economic crisis, the Zarzuela Palace announced Monday.