ARCHIVED - Murcian and Spanish Weekly news round-up W/e 21st October

Bullfighting ban in Cataluña overturned, Corvera airport maintenance contract out to tender, yet more British TV crews giving free promotion to Murcia after reading articles on this site!

Image: British TV crew pick the wrong week to film mud-bathing in San Pedro del Pinatar!

This week Murcia has been wet as the storms which have left the whole of Spain several degrees cooler than last week have delivered a welcome drop of rain for the agricultural sector. Most of the region has had some rain, with only minor flooding around the outskirts of the capital city, the result elsewhere being a welcome washing off of the red dust of summer.However, temperatures will return to comfortable low twenties over the weekend and in the early part of next week.

The main stories this week have focused around the Mar Menor, Corvera airport and agricultural water, and the regional press has been busy seeking comment on the major national stories which tended to hog the deadlines for much of the week (see Spanish news round-up below):

Regional government says Mar Menor is in a stable condition

Meanwhile the courts have indicted 17 people on environmental charges relating to the situation in the Mar Menor

This week the Mar Menor has continued to attract plenty of coverage, with protest group members seeking support in Brussels, the regional minister for the environment meeting with protestors to discuss the measures being taken by the regional authorities to resolve the issues caused by nitrate filtration into the waters of Europe’s largest saltwater lagoon, a visit by the regional minister and head of scientific committee investigating the problems to the Mar Menor and the courts indicting 17 businesses and individuals who will face charges relating to the filtrations and environmental abuse which is part of the problem.

On Friday the regional minister for water, agriculture and the environment  visited the Mar Menor, accompanied by the spokesman for the scientific committee evaluating the problems to give an update on the evolution of the situation, maintaining that “the Mar Menor is in a situation of stability thanks to the cessation of agricultural fertilisers filtering into the waters via the Rambla del Albujón and a drop in temperature”. She also commented that, the “course of action determined by the regional government and the group of scientific experts working on the Mar Menor project is the correct one”. Click to read full story

La Unión Mayor believes eco-park was intentionally destroyed: The municipal eco-park was burnt out on Friday evening

On Friday night just before midnight the municipal ecopark in La Unión went up in flames, and local politicians have called for the Mayor to resign following numerous complaints from residents nearby who were unhappy about the condition of the installations.

The ecopark was first opened in 2010 and cost 240,000 euros, but has been a constant source of friction between municipal politicians ever since and was closed down after constant attacks by vandals and thieves. At the time of the fire, the area was full of old furniture, electrical goods, wood and rubbish which had been dumped by fly-tippers, both in and around the area in which it was contained. Click for full story: La Unión Eco-park goes up in flames

Corvera airport maintenance contract put out to tender: Interested parties have until 9^th November to present their offers

Although readers would undoubtedly prefer to read that the contract to operate the new International Airport in the pedanía of Corvera in the Murcia municipality had been put out to tender, it is in fact the contract to maintain the installations for the next 12 months which has been presented for bids by the regional Ministry for Development.

The airport was completed four years ago and has been the object of an acrimonious battle between the former concessionary who built the airport, but failed to open it, and the regional government who had guaranteed the loan to assist them in the final phase of construction and then found itself burdened with an un-opened airport and a loan which has cost Murcian taxpayers 22,000 euros a day in interest since. Click to read full article

Historic Memory Law continues to make history

Cross with Yoke and Arrows removed from La Aljorra; The council says it “must” comply with the Historic Memory Law

80 years after the beginning of the Civil War in Spain arguments are still rumbling on over the monuments and street names which relate to the time following the Civil War in which Spain was ruled by General Francisco Franco, during a period commonly referred to as “The Dictatorship” or “Francoist regime.”

On Thursday Cartagena council removed a stone cross, seated upon a base of the “yoke and arrows” from the side of a church in La Aljorra, a symbol widely used throughout this period to symbolise the regime and which was seen frequently on monuments and uniforms at this time.

Local residents maintained that they were happy for the monument to remain in situ and saw no reason to remove it, but in a statement issued on Thursday the council said that “the Ayuntamiento has to comply with the law and the Ley de Memoria Histórica cannot be an exception.”

Police were sent to the village on Thursday morning to oversee the removal of the statue without prior warning, and as anticipated, local residents who saw what was happening were vocal in their protest, complaining and hissing at the municipal workers as they removed the monument.Click for full story

Surge in business and residential licences generate good revenue for Cartagena urban dept:This is a welcome spark of business activity after seven years of economic crisis

On Thursday Cartagena held its regular council meeting, during which a number of topics were discussed, amongst these the increased activity of the urban department (Dirección General de Urbanismo) which handles licences for business premises and residential development.

The department reported that between the 5^th and 18^th October it processed 107 applications for projects with a total value of 4.4 million euros, generating 238,000 euros worth of revenue for the council through licences and taxes.

The works which were approved were a mixture of residential reform licences and 25 licences for business premises to be refurbished and opened in different areas of the city, marking an important increase in business activity.

Cartagena, along with most municipal councils, noted a significant downturn in revenue when the property market imploded in the first quarter of 2008, demand for building licences collapsed, and steadily business activity decreased as all of the businesses associated with the construction sector started to shed workers and decrease their business activity.

This resulted in unemployment reaching record highs and seven years of economic crisis, during which lower business activity forced Cartagena council, along with most councils across Spain, to tighten their belts and cut costs as revenue from licences dried up.

Unemployment is now starting to fall, a new positivity is in the air and in spite of the lack of government, the Spanish economy is evolving in a positive fashion as confidence starts to grow and businesses timidly stick their heads up from out of their crisis-proof burrows and look for new opportunity.

New shopping area of San Pedro del Pinatar nearly completed: The new shopping facilities will be open before the end of the year

S-80 submarine weight imbalance corrected in Cartagena

First S-80 submarine should be concluded in 2020: Work to extend the shell has now been finished and fitting out initiated

The Navantia dockyards in Cartagena has been working over a period of several years to replace the aging  S-70 Spanish submarine fleet with a new model; the S-80.

The project has taken longer than anticipated following preliminary testing, which concluded that the hull of the new submersible should be elongated, due to a weight imbalance.

This has now been completed, according to the new Director of the Cartagena dockyard, Agustín Álvarez, and work is underway to begin fitting-out and arming the prototype. Click to read full story

Other news:

Click here to see all Murcia news for this week

Jumillan man run over by police car on his stag night: He fell into the road and was hit by the vehicle, dying at the scene of the accident

Murcia City council agrees reduction in price of domestic water:  135,000 families will benefit from the price cuts

Guardia Civíl arrest Corvera Golf Resort robbers: Five Spanish nationals committed a number of robberies in the pedanía of Corvera, targeting second homes

Mazarrón woman must pay 13,160 euros for the demolition of her home: The house was a victim of the former Ley de Costas

Bullas asks for the return of its Roman sculptures: The sculptures were sold to private buyers after being excavated from a villa site in the municipality

Boat owners who transported illegal immigrants sent to prison: The two men attempted to conceal their role by pretending to be illegal immigrants themselves

Murcian schoolchildren learn basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation: 350,000 people die from cardiac arrest across Europe every year before reaching hospital. Click for full story

Paraglider pilot rescued in the Sierra del Buey in Jumilla: The paraglider pilot had crashed into a gulley close to the wind farm

Águilas re-opens second indoor municipal swimming pool: the second pool at the Huerto Don Jorge has been adapted to make it more cost-effective to run

10 injured in accident between Pozo Aledo and El Mirador: A mini bus collided with a car and overturned

Spanish national news round-up

Court overturns Catalan bullfighting ban, Podemos enlists Winston Churchill and this weekend will resolve the issue of whether Spain must hold a third General Election

Plenty of news to relate this week, one of the main items being that one way or another Spaniards will now not have to interrupt their celebrations on 25^th December to vote in a general election on Christmas Day. It has been agreed that if a third election is needed it will be held instead a week before, but at the same time there is a strong possibility that by Monday the need for another vote will have been avoided in any case: see below.

Elsewhere the situation regarding the moves towards independence in Catalunya have again grabbed their fair share of the headlines, although they have been sidelined by disagreements over a decapitated statue of General Franco and the ban on bullfighting in the region.

Spain could have a new government before the end of the month

The coming weekend is a crucial one for the immediate political future of Spain, with the PSOE party holding a meeting of its Federal Committee to decide its stance in a potential presidential investiture debate which could be called by the PP’s Mariano Rajoy. 

The situation facing the PSOE is an almost impossible one, and one which has led to the party falling into disarray over the last month. In the words of Javier Fernández, the leader of the current party management committee, the task of the Committee is to decide on which is the lesser of two evils: either the PSOE tacitly backs Sr Rajoy, ending a period of ten months without government but betraying its own principles, or it votes against him, condemning Spain to what would be a third general election in a year and would most likely be a calamitous one for the PSOE. 

The powerful Andalucía group of the party is backing an abstention in the investiture debate, but their colleagues from Catalunya continue to support the “no” vote which was reiterated time and time again by former leader Pedro Sánchez, and the meeting on Sunday could end with the rift within the party being widened instead of healed. 

Sr Rajoy will be keeping a close eye on developments prior to next week’s round of meetings with King Felipe VI, and in the longer term it will be interesting to see what kind of PSOE emerges from the current crisis within the party. 

Meanwhile, the anger of the IU Podemos party at the possibility of Mariano Sr Rajoy serving a second term in office runs the risk of spilling over into verbal and even physical violence, as was demonstrated at the Universidad Autónoma in Madrid on Wednesday. During the afternoon former PSOE leader and President of the Spanish government Felipe González was due to take part in a conference at the university, but a group of approximately 200 people, most of them wearing hoods and masks, blocked his path in rowdy if not violent fashion, and the event had to be cancelled.

The suspicion that Podemos were responsible was neither confirmed nor denied on his Twitter account by party leader Pablo Iglesias, who implied that there are more important issues to concentrate on without actually responding to calls to admit or deny that Podemos had arranged the protest.

In one sense, he is right: there are indeed more important issues facing Spain than the cancellation of Felipe González’s appearance at the Universidad Autónoma.

But on the other hand, if this is to be the face of Spanish politics in the future it is an ugly one indeed, and the almost universal condemnation of protest, even by Sr González’s political opponents, reflects the fact that large numbers of people find it unacceptable.

Certainly the national media were uncomfortable with the manner in which the protest was carried out and ugly pictures of aggressive body language and threatening behaviour by masked students were on the front page of several major dailies.

Elsewhere on the political scene, the internal disagreements within the Podemos party took a surprising new direction last weekend when party leader Pablo Iglesias enlisted the help of none other than Sir Winston Churchill in order to criticize those who oppose his policies and attitudes!

The Catalan and Basque independence movements

Progress towards the holding of an independence referendum and creation of a separate state of Catalunya continues to make news, although once again this week there was a danger that the real issues could become lost from sight as others made the front pages.

The situation in Catalunya at present is that the regional parliament has backed a motion to hold a formal independence referendum in under twelve months’ time, and neither taking the former regional president to court nor issuing rebukes from Madrid to the speaker of the Catalan parliament will do anything to reverse that intention. Such moves are strong gestures and statements of intent, but the reality is that while attention is diverted the process of “disconnection” continues in what is still the north-east of Spain.

Another example of the authorities in Madrid maintaining their implacable determination to counter the secessionist proposals in the courts of law occurred on Tuesday, when it was announced by the courts in the city of Badalona that six Town Hall councilors are to be placed under judicial investigation for the events of 12^th October, when one of them tore up the order to keep the Town Hall closed in front of members of the press.(12th October is a national holiday and legally the town hall must close, giving staff their Bank Holiday off, something this town hall had refused to do).

Similarly, on Thursday the perennially controversial topic of bullfighting took centre stage when it was announced that the Constitutional Court has decided to overturn the ban on bullfighting which was passed in Catalunya in 2010. The regional government has responded by saying it will not respect this decision, which for animal rights activists and separatists will act as a red rag to a … well, let’s just say it will be quite provocative.

Another item to make the front pages this week concerned a headless statue of General Franco on horseback which was put on display outside the BORN cultural centre in Barcelona in an exhibition which was scheduled to last until 8th January. Instead it was withdrawn by the Town Hall after just three days in the light of the vehement protests against it being exhibited. 

Protesters draped Catalan flags over the Generalísimo’s shoulders, pelted him and his horse with eggs, and “decorated” the statue with spray paint, a pig’s head, a rainbow flag and an inflatable doll, before on Thursday three people managed to send it crashing to the ground.

In a sense the timing of this outrage was perfect, as it coincided with a decision in the regional parliament of Catalunya to annul the numerous summary trials and convictions to which those who dared to assert their Catalan identity or their opposition to Franco during his rule were subjected. Although they annulled the 78,331 trials which were held, the parliament can do little to reverse the 3,358 executions carried out, but in the context of the campaign to apply the Historical Memory Law throughout Spain this is a highly significant gesture.

But perhaps the most important news in Catalunya was a rather drier story: this week the regional parliament implemented further measures to create a separate tax collection system in Catalunya. The intention is for taxes to be paid directly into the Catalan government’s coffers rather than to the Spanish authorities in Madrid, but its approval was obscured by the more eye-catching events outlined above.

As for the issue of independence in the Basque Country, Thursday marked the 5th anniversary of the announcement by Basque separatist terrorist group ETA that it was to abandon its armed struggle, an event which was greeted with some scepticism at the time but which has since proved constant.

What remains of ETA is thought to be becoming less and less, and the latest estimates are that the group now consists of only around 20 people plus another 355 who are behind bars. Whether or not this is accurate, the organization is vastly different from the one which spread terror for a period of four decades, leaving over 800 people dead.

At the same time, the atrocities committed by ETA gradually fade into the past, and as convicts such as Idoia López Riaño near the end of their long prison sentences great efforts are being made to ensure that they do not take up residence close to areas where victims of their actions live. This week the former terrorist nicknamed “The Tigress”received confirmation that she is to be allowed a series of three-day exeats from the prison where she is serving her sentence in preparation for her reintegration into society when she is released in December 2017 after serving 30 years behind bars.

Gurtel corruption trial tarnishes the image of Spain

A key phase of the “Gürtel” corruption trial in Madrid came to an end on Monday, when the alleged ringleader of the systematic payment of “commission” on awarding public contracts ended three days of declarations.

There has since been a pause in proceedings, leaving the Spanish press to reflect on developments so far and on the effect which the trial is having on Spain’s reputation abroad. Needless to say, this effect is far from positive, with the general perception being that the Spanish political system and other major institutions are riddled with corruption. 

For some reason, many Spaniards appear to be unaware of this, or unwilling to accept it.

Another aspect which bemuses observers outside Spain is that this case was first investigated in November 2007, but only now, after almost a decade, are the accused finally standing trial. 

Covering the trial in the UK, the Financial Times boldly headlined with “Spain’s boom-era ills on trial in sprawling corruption case”, adding that the trial is expected to “heap political embarrassment on the Prime Minister’s party (the PP), and yet in Spain itself this is apparently not the case. "

Gibraltar sovereignty news

José Manuel García-Margallo, the Minister for Foreign Affairs in the caretaker Spanish government, is keeping up his pressure on the governments of Gibraltar and the UK over the issue of sovereignty in the Rock, and reaffirmed this week that “Spain will never renounce its claim to Gibraltar”. He also stated that if the offer of joint sovereignty is rejected the border will “automatically” be considered a foreign frontier, with all the increases in security that this entails.

However, while José Manuel García-Margallo may have a chance of convincing those in Andalucía of the benefits of his co-sovereignty scheme, he appears to have a harder task ahead of him if he intends to win the support of Fabian Picardo, the Chief Minister of the Gibraltarian government.

In an article published on Tuesday, Mr Picardo flatly refused on the part of the people of Gibraltar to accept “the consequences of the blackmail Mr. Margallo has laid before us.”

“If we didn't want to be Spanish before”, he went on,“imagine what we feel now, when instead of a friend we face someone who is rubbing their hands, looming over our little nation and our small area of land.”

The topic will continue to rumble on and yet Brexit negotiations haven´t even started yet and Spain doesn´t even have a government at the moment!

Illegal immigration

As the number of illegal immigrants held in Spain’s internment centres increases it is becoming clear that the Spanish authorities are facing difficulties in dealing with all those who have been intercepted on their way into this country, and on Tuesday at the facility in the Aluche district of Madrid between 30 and 50 of the immigrants who are currently housed in the CIE staged a mutiny, climbing up onto the roof in their efforts to break out of the premises. 

The Madrid police force was already stretched on Tuesday evening due to the outbreaks of violence around the Santiago Bernabéu stadium prior to Real Madrid’s Champions League match against Legia Warsaw, but none of the Algerian interns succeeded in making their way out onto the streets of Madrid before their gesture of defiance ended at approximately 9.00 on Wednesday morning. 

Also on the topic of illegal immigrants, an under-age Moroccan immigrant was saved from suffocation while entering Ceuta when he was rescued from the engine compartment of a bus on Sunday night.

Other news

Valencia woman attempted to kill her dog with anti-depressants: a woman from Burjassot has been handed an 8-month sentence after claiming that Shippo the dog “annoyed her”.

Eccentric real-life basis for Don Quijote found in archives: Don Quijote was not the first to tilt at windmills in Castilla-La Mancha!

Castellon man fined after cutting his own hand off: the convicted faked a car accident to make 350,000-euro insurance claims.

Basque Guardia Civil officers attacked by separatists: one of the victims rescued former ETA members from a snowdrift in March.

3,500 dogs take part in Madrid dog marathon: the Perrotón event in Madrid aims to promote the adoption of abandoned pets.

Castilla-La Mancha authorities investigate river pollution in Toledo: white foam appeared in the River Tagus in Toledo on Saturday.

Sheep farmers in Asturias call for a wolf cull: wolves were persecuted in the 20th century and by the 1970s had practically been eradicated in Spain.

Debate over artificial insemination as 62-year-old gives birth in Lugo: by the time her daughter is 18 Lina Álvarez will be 80.

Outrage at latest gender killing in Sevilla: a judge in Sanlucar had refused to place a restraining order on the murderer.

Paraguayan murderer pleads guilty after living with his dismembered victim for three months: no motive has been identified for the gruesome goings-on in Pontevedra.

450-year-old documents relating to Spanish naval disaster handed back to the Alhambra: an estimated 5,000 lives were lost in the La Herradura sinkings in 1562.

Aragón anglers urged to exterminate invasive fish species: The regional government of Aragon targets catfish and carp with “surreal” proposals.

Granada health authorities forced to reconsider hospital changes: 40,000 took part in a massive protest against the reorganization of the hospitals in the city.

Spanish parliament votes to raise paternity leave to 16 weeks: the measure will most likely be delayed by the lack of government, much to the relief of smaller business owners.

Rumanian road surfer robbers arrested: the daring thieves stole from lorries travelling at 60 kph in Zaragoza.

Madrid police target unregistered limousine rental companies: police have problems finding a place to impound offending vehicles until the relevant fines are paid.

Spanish property news

Optimism is still rife among property market professionals and analysts in Spain at the moment, and the latest report to suggest that the medium-term outlook is rosy came this week from BBVA Research, who conclude from their analysis that by the end of this year the recovery in the real estate market will have been consolidated and that the trend will continue in 2017.

More specifically, the team at BBVA estimate that sales figures will rise next year by another 6.5% to approximately 475,000, while the average price of housing across Spain will increase by 3.5%.

The main caveat, as has become customary, is that these nationwide indices will continue to mask wide discrepancies among the 17 regions and 50 province of Spain, with the most marked upturns continuing to be forecast in Madrid, Catalunya and the Balearic Islands.

Elsewhere, long-term investors take note; the latest demographic analyses suggest that the best advice is to look for projects involving relatively small properties which are likely to prove attractive to couples without children, preferably over the age of 65, in Madrid, the islands, Murcia and Catalunya!

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