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

By Martin Shipton

Wales Online

Large swathes ofWales are poorer than parts ofBulgaria, 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 theValleys languished at 70, the lowest

figure in the UK. The highest, for Inner London, was 328.

At 70, West Wales and theValleys was poorer than parts ofBulgaria, 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 WestWales and theValleysregion has a GDP figure

which is 70% of the EU average while Inner London is a staggering 328%.

WestWales and theValleys is comparable to some regions in the former communist countries of EasternEurope.

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 thatran 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 theWelsh 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.

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Why are we still waiting for action? Plaid Cymru is the only party truly standing up for theWelsh 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.

AWelshGovernment source responded: Whether in elections or opinion polls, the people

ofWales overwhelmingly endorse WelshLabours 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 monthlyinflation 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 annualinflation in March 2013 compared to March 2012 was 2.7%.

The annualaverageinflation, 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 levelof the previous month.

The harmonized index of consumer prices in March 2013 compared to February 2013 was 99.6%, i.e.

the monthlyinflation was -0.4%. The inflation rate since the beginning of the year (March 2013 compared to

December 2012) had been 0% and the annualinflation in March 2013 compared to March 2012 was 1.6%.

The annualaverageinflation, 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 ofHICP 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

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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 ofinflation 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 SovietcosmonautYuri 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 spaceflight 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 theAir Forces, General-Major, Konstantin Popov,

other high-rankingAir 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 spaceflight 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.

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