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Spanish News

Latest News from Spain

This news is brought to you in association with 1Casa. Cristina Sanchez is head of their Customer Liaison Department, they specialiize in Affordable Property in the inland regions of Andalucia starting at under 30,000 Euros.

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08 March 2008

General and State Elections

The Spanish national and state elections will take place this Sunday 9th March. The latest opinion polls put the ruling PSOE party of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero just ahead of the opposition PP party led by Mariano Rajoy in the national elections. In Andalucia polls will also take place on Sunday.

EU Court Rules Against Spain

The EU Court of Justice has ruled that Spain acted illegally in attempting to place restrictions on the German company EON when it tried to buy the Spanish power firm Endesa. This ruling will now become a precedent governing any future inter EU country takeovers and ensure that EU competition laws are respected.

Economic Figures Show Slight Improvement

After months of gloomy economic figures February has shown slightly more optimistic signs with industrial production and consumer confidence on the increase. An economic ministry statement points to expectations for the coming months to be better. Spain predicts growth of 3% for the current year, although the EU economic commission recently reduced their prediction from 3% to 2.7%.

Tax Evaders Identified

The Spanish tax office confirmed at the weekend that it has obtained the names of 100 Spanish citizens believed to have evaded taxes in Liechtenstein.

Spain is the 15th country involved in an international probe into fiscal fraud in the Alpine principality. Tax officials did not disclose the identity of the suspected tax evaders, although most are believed to be wealthy business owners with millions of euros of financial assets deposited in Liechtenstein banks. They are among hundreds of people named on a DVD purchased by the German government from an informant last month, which ignited the international scandal. Since then 15 countries have said they are investigating tax fraud by their citizens in Liechtenstein. The number of people under investigation by Spain is comparable to those being probed by the United States, while Italy says it is investigating 150 people and France 200. Germany says more than 1,000 of its citizens are suspected of evading taxes to the tune of EUR 4 billion.

According to Spanish authorities, tax officials are attempting to determine the full extent of the evasion carried out by Spanish tax payers. Those who owe the tax office less than EUR 120,000 will face fines and sanctions imposed by the tax office directly, while those owing more than that amount can expect to face criminal charges in court, authorities said.

Votes for Foreigners Campaign

With only nationals of those countries with reciprocal voting agreements being able to vote in Spanish general elections an American immigrant who has lived in Spain for 17 years has launched an internet campaign for abstaining Spanish people to “donate” their votes to foreigners who want to vote. This will be achieved by allocating an abstaining voter’s vote to a would be voter’s wish through the website votapormi.org., then for the legal voter to carry out the foreigner’s voting intention at the polls.

IAAF Championships Open In Valencia

The IAAF indoor athletics championships opened this Friday (7th Mar) in Valencia. Over 600 competitors from more than 150 countries will participate in 26 events.

Hotel in National Park Again Ruled Illegal

The on-off saga of the partly constructed 411 bed hotel complex in the Cabo de Gata national park in Almeria province seems to be finally coming to an end as the Spanish Supreme Court has ruled that it is illegally constructed on protected land. The government now faces a legal fight for compensation from the constructor, much to the anger of ecological campaigners who feel that the company should bear the cost of demolition and cleaning up.

New Ferry to Open

The shipping company Balnearia has announced a new ferry service from Motril to Melilla is to open in June. Following docking tests in February the company has confirmed to the Melilla government that the service will operate throughout the year with an extra boat to cover the increased demand in the peak season.

Contract Awarded for Next Stretch of Granada Metro

The Junta de Andalucia this week awarded the contract for the next section of the Granada metro. This stretch, of 3.5 km , runs within the city centre from Rio Genil to the Parque Tecnologico de Salud, and will have six stations. Two other sections are already in progress, and others are out for tender. The whole line will be 15.86 km long and will have 26 stations.

Average Apartment Size Reduced in Last 10 Years in Granada

The average size of apartments built in Granada in the last ten years has reduced from 100m2 to 91.4. This is attributed to the increased cost of land, changes to the typical family model with the reduced requirements of the average smaller family and the rising number of people living alone. On the other hand, the size of uni-familiar dwellings has increased from 131.7 m2 to 151.1 in the decade, although average plot size has come down 150-200m2 due to land cost.

More Security Cameras in Malaga

Representatives of Malaga city centre traders have announced that another 29 surveillance cameras are to be installed in the historic centre of the city. These will be added to the existing 17 cameras already working there in an attempt to further reduce vandalism, graffiti painting and anti-social behaviour. An application has been made for half the 600,000 euros funding to be made by the Ayuntamiento.

Shellfish Ban Lifted

The six week ban on fishing for molluscs in Malaga province has been withdrawn. The ban was announced after tests showed contamination by toxins derived from certain algae. Now the 150 boats dedicated to this type of fishing can get back to work.

Semana Santa in La Trocha

Various activities will take place in La Trocha commercial centre during the approach to Semana Santa. These will attempt to portray Holy Week from different perspectives and related to all ages, and can be seen from 7th to 16th of March.

Benalmadena Ice Rink to Reopen

Benalmadena ice rink is to reopen in May after 10 months closure following three deaths caused by Legionnaires disease. The refrigeration system which was believed to be the source of the outbreak, is to be replaced over the next eight weeks to avoid any further contamination.

Traffic Problems in Benalmadena

Motorists can expect traffic jams on the main coast road in Benalmadena, Avenida Antonio Machado, when work starts after Semana Santa. The road will be reduced to single lane until June at least.

Mijas Desalination Plant

The contract for the Costa del Sol’s second desalinisation plant has been put out for tender. Work on the plant, to be situated in Mijas should be started by the end of the year and be in operation by 2010, adding another 20 cubic hectometres to the 20 already produced by the existing plant at Marbella.

New Waste Management Scheme for Velez-Malaga

An agreement of intent between the council of Velez-Malaga and a Dutch company was signed this week (5th March) for the installation of the first ecological solid waste treatment plant in Spain. The system allows 99% of solid urban waste to be recycled without prior separation, and is powered by the products from the waste. The plant will also be capable of treating waste from other local towns. The mayor hopes to obtain EU funding towards the 70 million euros cost.

Return to Two-way Traffic in Coin

After complaints by drivers, local businesses and shop the one-way system in the centre of Coin has been abandoned and the streets returned to two-way traffic. Of course, this will mean a decrease in the number of parking spaces available in the centre. Road signing and marking is being carried out at a cost of 30,000 euros.

Increased Construction Work in Alora

Where most of the province shows a marked decrease in new construction work, Alora is one of the few places to report an increase in 2007, along with Ronda, Antequera and Archidona. The figures come from the College of Architects and are based on the number of work licences granted and do not necessarily imply that work has already started.

Work Starts on Alhama Prieta Road

Work has begun on the stretch of road leading to the Alhama Prieta district of Alora. The state of the road was the subject of a long protest demonstration in the town hall square last year. The 5.5km road, leading from Alora to an agricultural area supporting 600 families of which 200 live in the Alhama Prieta district, will now be 5m wide and have proper drainage.

Anti Terrorism Gathering

Following the latest ETA attack, a gathering against terrorism is to be held in the town hall square, Alora, on Monday 10th Mar at midday, to which the Ayuntamiento invites all inhabitants to attend.

Football

After another disappointing 1-1 draw, this time at home to El Ejido, Malaga travel to Las Palmas in the Canaries for the match on Sunday 9th March at 5pm.

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