Welsh Valleys 'Poorer than Parts of Bulgaria, Romania and Poland'

By Martin Shipton

Wales Online Large swathes of Wales are poorer than parts of Bulgaria, Romania and Polandand four-and-a-half times less prosperous than central London, according to latest official figures. The European Union (EU) statistics also reveal the UK has Europes highest inequality of wealth in Europe. The figures, issued by the EUs statistical information body Eurostat, show Gross Domestic Product (GDP) throughout the EU for 2010 and the value of goods and services produced within each country per head of population. Taking 100 as the EU average across all 27 member states, Wales as a whole had a GDP per head of 81. But while East Wales managed to hit the 100 average, WestWales and the Valleys languished at 70, the lowest figure in the UK. The highest, for Inner London, was 328. At 70, West Wales and the Valleys was poorer than parts of Bulgaria, Romaniaand Poland, and than the whole of the Czech Republic (80), Slovenia (84) and Slovakia (84) all countries that were part of the East European Communist bloc that collapsed more than 20 years ago. The GDP figures have prompted a row between Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Labour Government. Plaid Treasury spokesman Jonathan Edwards said: These shocking figures confirm that once again the British State is the most unequal in terms of wealth in the whole of Europe. My Carmarthen East and Dinefwr constituency in the West Wales and the Valleysregion has a GDP figure which is 70% of the EU average while Inner London is a staggering 328%. West Wales and the Valleys is comparable to some regions in the former communist countries of Eastern Europe. It is important to remember that these figures are for 2010 which was the end of the Labour Government. After 13 years in power they did nothing to tackle the massive regional inequality of wealth and clearly failed in their historic duty to redistribute wealth and tackle inequality. The ConDem Government is carrying on where Labour left off, and doing nothing to seriously redistribute wealth and economic opportunity away from London and the South East of England. The Welsh economy and the other producing economies of the British State are being failed by the economic policies of the London parties that continue to fixate on high finance. Mr Edwards said that thanks to Ieuan Wyn Jones, Plaids economy minister during the Labour/ Plaid coalition that ran Wales from 2007 until 2011, Welsh economic performance showed a small increase in 2011 when figures were released by the Office for National Statistics at the end of last year. He added: Unfortunately, it looks like his good work will be reversed or stagnated by the increased hardship suffered by many in Wales because of the destructive economic policies of the London parties. Due to the current Labour Government's indifference on the economy here inWales, and the London parties' continued servitude to the cult of austerity, it is likely that we will soon see a sharp increase in the already highest levels of inequality of wealth in Europe. There is, however, hope for the Welsh economy and it includes the crucial need to devolve job-creating powers as recommended by the Government Commission on Devolution in Wales which had representation on it from all the main parties.

Why are we still waiting for action? Plaid Cymru is the only party truly standing up for the Welsh economy with other necessary proposals such as a publicly-owned bank to lend to local industries and create jobs. I want to see the forthcoming Queen's Speech include a Wealth Equalisation Bill, tasked with converging wealth levels across the British State. For as long as Wales is part of the UK it must be made to work in our interests. These wealth figures are a damning indictment of the economic failures of unionism. Wales, its people and its economy, certainly cannot afford to wait. A Welsh Government source responded: Whether in elections or opinion polls, the people of Wales overwhelmingly endorse Welsh Labours approach to the economy. The people know that, as a Government, were doing all we can to create more jobs and boost economic growth. Our Business Start-up programme has helped establish over 4,980 new enterprises and created more than 10,500 jobs, with 12,000 more jobs to be created by June 2015. Our Jobs Growth Wales programme helps business grow by supporting them to take on young people and recently we announced an extra 30m to help Welshbusinesses grow. Contrast this to Plaid's lacklustre and disjointed economic policies and its easy to understand why voters dont take Plaid Cymru seriously.

Bulgaria Registers 0.5% Deflation March 2013 M/M

The consumer price index in March 2013, compared to February 2013 was 99.5%, meaning the monthly inflation was -0.5%. The data was reported Friday by the National Statistical Institute (NSI). The inflation rate since the beginning of the year (March 2013 compared to December 2012) had been -0.1% and the annual inflation in March 2013 compared to March 2012 was 2.7%. The annual average inflation, measured by CPI, in the last 12 months (April 2012 - March 2013) compared to the previous 12 months (April 2011 - March 2012) was 3.3%. In March 2013 compared to the previous month the prices of goods and services in the main consumer groups changed as follows: food and non-alcoholic beverages - an increase of 0.4%; alcoholic beverages and tobacco an increase of 0.3%; clothing and footwear - a decrease of 0.8%; housing (rentals, maintenance and repair), water, electricity, gas and other fuels - a decrease of 3.1%; furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house - a decrease of 0.2%; health - the prices remained at the level of the previous month; transport - a decrease of 0.7%; communications - the prices remained at the level of the previous month; recreation and culture - a decrease of 1.3%; education - the prices remained at the level of the previous month; restaurants and hotels - a decrease of 0.1%; miscellaneous goods and service - the prices remained at the level of the previous month. The harmonized index of consumer prices in March 2013 compared to February 2013 was 99.6%, i.e. the monthly inflation was -0.4%. The inflation rate since the beginning of the year (March 2013 compared to December 2012) had been 0% and the annual inflation in March 2013 compared to March 2012 was 1.6%. The annual average inflation, measured by HICP, in the last 12 months (April 2012 - March 2013) compared to the previous 12 months (April 2011 - March 2012) was 2.5%. In terms of HICP in March 2013 compared to the previous month the prices of goods and services in the main consumer groups changed as follows: food and non-alcoholic beverages - an increase of 0.3%; alcoholic beverages and tobacco - an increase of 0.4%; clothing and footwear - a decrease of 0.7%; housing (rentals, maintenance and repair), water, electricity, gas and other fuels - a decrease of 3.0%; furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house - a decrease of 0.1%; health - the prices remained at the level

of the previous month; transport - a decrease of 0.6%; communications - a decrease of 0.1%; recreation and culture - a decrease of 0.8%; education - the prices remained at the level of the previous month; restaurants and hotels - a decrease of 0.9%; miscellaneous goods and service - the prices remained at the level of the previous month The price index of a small basket in March 2013 compared to February 2013 was 99.4% and the overall increase since the beginning of the year (March 2013 compared to December 2012) had been 100.4%. In March compared to the previous month the prices of goods and services in the small basket for the 20% households with the lowest income, changed as follows: food products - an increase of 0.6%; non-food products - a decrease of 0.2%; services - a decrease of 3.9%. The consumer price index (CPI) is the official measure of inflation in the Republic of Bulgaria. It measures the total relative price change of goods and services used by households for private (nonproduction) consumption and it is calculated by applying the structure of the final monetary consumption expenditures of the Bulgarian households. The main source of information for the expenditures is the household budget survey in the country. The harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP) is the comparable measure ofinflation across EU Member states. It is one of the criterions of price stability and for readiness of Bulgaria to join the Euro Zone. HICP, as well as CPI, measures the total relative price change of goods and services. Both indices are calculated using the same basket of goods and services, but differ with respect to the used weights. HICP is calculated through the use of weights, which reflect the individual and the collective consumption of all households (incl. institutional and foreign households) on the economic territory of the country. The main source of information for HICP weights is the national accounts data. The price index of a small basket (PISB) is a measurement of the relativeaverage price changes of 100 socially useful and vital for the living goods and services. The weights of this index reflect he expenditures of the 20% lowest income households. The source of weights information is the Households Budget Survey in the country.

Bulgaria Marks International Space Day

Bulgaria and the world mark April 12 - the International Day of Human SpaceFlight. In 2011, on the 50th anniversary of the date Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarinbecame the first human to see Planet Earth from space, the UN declared April 12International Day of Human Space Flight. Friday is also the 34th anniversary of the space flight of the first Bulgariancosmonaut, Georgi Ivanov. At the Krumovo military airfield and base, the celebrations will start with an official roll call and greetings. Flowers and wreaths will be laid at the memorial of perished pilots and aircraft technicians. The ceremony will be attended by the Commander in Chief of the Air Forces, General-Major, Konstantin Popov, other high-ranking Air Forces officers, pilots, veterans, college students from the nearby second largest city of Plovdiv and citizens. On April 12, 1961, Gagarin's Vostok 1 spacecraft lifted him to an altitude of 200 miles and carried him once around the Earth. "Earth is blue and very beautiful," thecosmonaut exclaimed from above. The first flight lasted 108 minutes. The public learned many years later that during this time there were 10 accidents, which seriously threatened Gagarin's mission. Also at the time, the news about the first space flight was announced by Sovietauthorities only after Vostok 1 landed successfully, even though 600 km away from the planned location. Modern Russia still sees Gagarin's achievement as one of the most significant in the country's history.