Tuesday March 14, 2023 - Spain - Historic sex abuse testimonials, Ukrainian troops finish training, Airbus order cancellation

These are the trending news headlines in Spain on Tuesday March 14, 2023

Spain’s ombudsman has reported that an independent commission set up last year to investigate historic sex abuse by the Catholic church has received testimonies from 445 victims. Spain’s parliament voted in March 2022 to open the first official investigation, led by ombudsman Ángel Gabilondo, into the extent of sexual abuse committed by priests and church officials. The government was compelled to act after allegations of abuse involving more than 1,200 victims were published in Spanish newspaper El País, sparking public outrage. A Madrid-based law firm is conducting a parallel inquiry ordered by the Spanish Episcopal Conference. Spain is one of only a few countries to have government-initiated or parliamentary inquiries into abuse by the Catholic church.

Ukrainian troops have finished a four-week training course in Spain on how to operate the Leopard 2 tanks that Western allies have agreed to deliver to help Ukraine fight Russian forces. The 55 Ukrainian trainees arrived in Spain mid-February and have been training 12 hours a day, six days a week at a Spanish military base in Zaragoza. The soldiers received technical and tactical training and will return to Ukraine "with a very acceptable knowledge" of the German-made Leopard 2A4 tanks, said Captain Contreras, who headed the Spanish military unit charged with training the Ukrainian soldiers. The training included exercises on simulators and actual Leopard 2 tanks.

Spain is reportedly considering cancelling nearly half of its orders for Airbus A400M airlifters, raising doubts over the future of the project, according to European defence sources. The A400M is a core defence project in Europe, and Spain has ordered 27 of the troop planes and is responsible for their final assembly. However, Madrid is said to be leaning towards cancelling the remaining 13 or so aircraft that have not been delivered, after its air force indicated that it did not need the extra planes. Any decision on the future of the A400M is expected to trigger intense negotiations over alternative defence orders and Airbus's ongoing investment in Spain.

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