Over 100 Madrid health chiefs threaten to resign in privatization protest

The directors of over 100 healthcare centers in Madrid are offering their resignations in a bid to pressure the regional government into giving up plans to privatize part of its health system.

At a meeting of representatives from the region's 270 health centers (above) - called to decide whether they should quit en masse as a protest measure - the management teams of 118 clinics on Thursday made their position clear by showing up with their resignation letters already signed.

The assembly at the Madrid Medical School decided that the letters should all be presented together on December 27, the day the regional parliament will vote on the bill which, together with the 2013 regional budget - approved by deputies on Thursday - establishes the privatization plans.

The Popular Party-run Madrid administration is proposing to turn the management of six hospitals and 27 health centers over to private companies.

Rajoy pledges to keep troops in Afghanistan after NATO mission ends

In his Christmas message to Spanish troops serving abroad on humanitarian missions, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Tuesday reminded members of the armed forces that their main objective was to “make the world a safer place.”

“Spain obtains more prestige each time you make a sacrifice,” the prime minister said in a televised video conference call to troops serving in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Bosnia, Djibouti, Uganda, Antarctica and the Indian Ocean.

On Saturday, Rajoy made a quick visit to meet with Spanish troops in Afghanistan. He also met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, whom he told that a contingent of troops will remain in the country after 2014, when the NATO multinational mission is due to withdraw its forces.

There are currently some 1,400 Spanish soldiers serving in Afghanistan.