Major Madrid rally against cuts

Tens of thousands of people have rallied in the Spanish capital, Madrid, to protest against spending cuts and tax rises in the debt-hit country.

Public sector workers from all over the country gathered in the city's Plaza de Colon, blocking major roads.

The protesters say the cuts are hitting mainly the middle- and low-income classes, while sparing the wealthy.

The government says the austerity measures must be implemented to lead the country to recovery.

'Drastic reduction'

Many of the protesters - including teachers, nurses and firefighters - were ferried to Madrid in buses by trade unions and other workers' rights groups who organised the rally.

The crowds chanted anti-government slogans, blew whistles and waved banners that read "Enough!" and "They are sinking the country!"

"There is no area of my work which has not been affected by the cuts," a 52-year-old doctor from Valencia, who only named himself as Jorge, was quoted as saying by Reuters.

"It's a drastic reduction in the quality of service for patients, it's terrible," he said, adding that his own salary had shrunk by about 30% because of the austerity measures.

But the government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy insists that the cuts are necessary to save the eurozone's fourth largest economy.

"These sacrifices are absolutely unavoidable if we are to correct the difficult economic climate we are experiencing," Economy Minister Luis de Guindos said.

"We are laying the foundations for a recovery," he added.

In July, the government announced a 65bn-euro (£60bn; $80bn) package of public sector wage cuts and tax rises - part of a deal with eurozone leaders to help rescue Spain's troubled banks.

Madrid has also accepted a loan of up to 100bn euro loan for the country's banks.

Source: BBC News

Photo: PM Mariano Rajoy smiling during an election camapign rally. Now the crowds come out against him.