Weather alerts for 45 provinces
Severe weather affecting 45 provinces have been issued:_
Red alerts (extreme risks) winds up to 80 kmh for La Coruńa and Pontevedra;
Orange alerts (significant risks) strong winds, for Lugo, Asturias, Guipuzcoa, Viscaya, Cantabria and the Canary islands;
Yellow alerts (risks) of high winds and heavy rainfalls in Leon, Palencia, Almeria, Cadiz, Huelva, Malaga, Soria, Ibiza and Formentara, and with expected snow in Ciudad Real, Badajoz, Cordoba, Sevilla, Granada, Jaen and a number of provinces in the central area.
Restaurant closed due to smoke
The restaurant 'Asador de Guadalmina' in Marbella is the first well known restaurant to be closed for not respecting the new law on smoking in public places. The owner says he has not closed his restaurant, but that it was closed by the judges. He is continuing his battle in the courts and hopes to open again next week. He may be seriously mistaken; the law is legal and solid.
Amendments to changes on regional financing
Firstly the Government declared that regional governments with public debts of more than 2.4% would not be permitted to seek further financing in the money markets. Then the Prime Minister, without support in Parliament, made a deal with the new President of Catalonia, Arturo Mas, permitting certain refinancing. When the other regions protested against the preferential treatment for Catalonia, the Government back-tracked and has now permitted refinancing for all regions.
40% of unemployment in property sector
During a debate in Parliament, Elena Salgado, the Minister of Finance, said 40% of the present unemployment was caused by the Ley del Suelo (Law on Land Use) approved by the last PP government, which resulted in a huge increase of the number of dwellings constructed.
25,000 properties sold by banks last year
The banks say they sold 25,000 properties last year, most of them dwellings, which, in one form or another, is probably less than the number of properties they re-possessed from the defunct property sector during the year.
Several banks have established sales organisations of their own and many of the properties they have sold have been purchased, on very special conditions, by their own employees.
La Caixa has been selling land at 60% below its official value and dwellings with discounts of up to 52%. Caja Madrid has reduced prices on average by 23%; Banesto 21%. Banco Popular has been selling with a discount of 45%, and Santander 25%.
The banks have also the advantage that they can finance the sales offering 'very favourable conditions.'
You want to buy? Wait, the prices will fall further!
Bleak company outlook for 2011
The International Business Report this year finds that 80% of Spanish companies do not expect to create any new jobs in 2011, and 23% expect to shed some employees. Only 36% think and hope a recovery will come in 2012, whilst 54% think it will not be until 2013 or later.
Prosecutor demands fines for President Camps
The prosecutor in the anti-corruption court is demanding a fine of 41,250 euros for Valencia Region's President Francisco Camps, for receiving 12 dresses, 4 jackets, 5 pair of shoes and 4 ties, with a total value of 14,021.50 euros from the “Gürtel” organisation (the “clearing centre” between politicians and businesses seeking public favours). The General Secretary of PP in the Valencia Region, Ricardo Costa, the leader of the cabinet in the regional tourist ministry, Rafael Bertotet and Regional Vice-President Victor Campos face demands for similar fines.
“Gürtel” cost taxpayers 120 million euros
The corruption organisation “Gürtel” created in and around PP, especially in the Valencia and Madrid Regions (even without taking into consideration tax evasion) cost the public administrations at least 120 million euros. The investigation by the court has taken two years.
Judge investigates more than 100 illegal houses in Portaloa
The judge in Huercal-Overa has started 8 criminal proceedings against council members, a property promoter and a town planner, for alleged planning crimes and prevarication in the town of Portaloa (Almeria). The councillors, from both PP and PSOE, are accused of permitting the construction of more than 100 houses on non-urban land, some without licences. The houses were sold mainly to British buyers.
Mercosevilla fraud explodes
Mercosevilla was the main market organisation for many producers, especially for agricultural products, in Andalusia. The market had at its disposal a public fund for retiring employees in companies with financial difficulties. Andalusia PSOE-leaders used this fund to secure early retirement pensions for many collaborators, including some who had never set foot in any of the companies. The Ministry of Finance auditors warned against this practice but were ignored by the Junta de Andalusia.
The police have been investigating 12 companies and the shit is now hitting the fan. The PP has asked Prime Minister Zapatero and 3 ministers to explain the frauds in Parliament. The total sum defrauded may be close to 700 million euros.
Tainted candidates on PSOE-lists
Jose Blanco, the Vice General Secretary of the governing PSOE party (and Minister of Development) has declared that only the socialist councillors who have been accused in courts of “corruption” and “personal enrichment” will be excluded from the candidate lists in the local elections on 22nd May. With the slow judicial process in Spain, that means many councillors suspected or under pre-investigation will still stand as candidates this year.
Industry expands 6.2% in 2010
According to the statistical institute, following two years of falls, industrial production increased 6.2% during 2010. In 2009 industrial production fell more than 20%. The motor for last year's increase was the electricity sector, which saw an increase of 26%.
Ocean View Properties investigated by UK police
A businessman, Colin Thomas of Town Hill, Yoxall, Burton-on-Trent, UK, is at the centre of a Government and police investigation into a suspected £43 million overseas property scam. Thomas is currently being investigated by Staffordshire Police and is also facing legal action by the Insolvency Service following the collapse of his company Ocean View Properties.
The company, whose founders included a convicted fraudster, used the likes
of England footballer Gareth Barry and television property expert Martin Roberts to sell luxury apartments in Spain, taking deposits worth around £80,000 from each British investor, however, much of the cash disappeared as the homes failed to materialise.
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