EU help sought over flood damage – over 4,000 homes seriously damaged

Madrid has announced that it has declared the area to be a victim of a natural disaster and will seek EU financial help to rebuild and repair the damage caused by flooding over the weekend in Malaga, Almeria and Murcia. Over 4,000 homes in the Levante have been “seriously damaged” according to the Minister of Development who toured the area last night, and local townhalls are setting up emergency offices for homeowners to declare their Continue reading EU help sought over flood damage – over 4,000 homes seriously damaged

AVE train line work slowed – completion date set back

Ideal newspaper is reporting that the General Budget for 2013 has put back work on the AVE high speed trainline, with the completion date now slipping to “late” 2017. The budget, which is allocated about 40% less money for investment than last year, has reduced the importance of the Almería works, whilst keeping the line to Murcia as “urgent”. Meaning, basically, that they’re concentrating the money they have on the line to Murcia, and will Continue reading AVE train line work slowed – completion date set back

Water cuts to continue until late Monday

Water supplies are not expected to be restored until late Monday evening, according to Galasa, the water company. All the main pipes have been broken in several places as they cross different riverbeds after the recent storm. Most of the Levante are now running off their local water reservoirs and once they are empty -as they are in many places now- they’re out of water. Such as most of Mojacar. A mate of mine who Continue reading Water cuts to continue until late Monday

Ken Livingstone grants Los Gallardos a new sports hall and theatre

Los Gallardos is to get a new indoor sports hall and theatre, after the plans were handed over yesterday by the técnicos of the Diputación. The plans were handed over by Ken Livingstone* at a ceremony in the village last night. The new Edificio Polivalente will cost 480,000€ and be a 570 m2 multiuse building, suitable both for indoor sporting events and also as a local theatre, with seating for 216 people. Here’s a photo Continue reading Ken Livingstone grants Los Gallardos a new sports hall and theatre

Lost fingers found inside a trout

Forget all this Algarrobico nonsense, the riots in Madrid, the economic slump and the imminent break up of Spain…. this is what I want to see more of in the news! A US man who lost four fingers in an accident on a lake and joked that they were “fish food” has found that is exactly what happened to one of them… The little finger turned up three months later inside a trout. Two anglers Continue reading Lost fingers found inside a trout

Supreme Court confirms Algarrobico hotel is illegal but Carboneras fights on

The local courts said it was illegal. The regional courts said it was illegal. The National court said it was illegal. And now the Supreme Court of Spain has confirmed that it is illegal. But the townhall of Carboneras has insisted that the huge hotel built on the beach in Carboneras is legal and must be opened soonest. Quite how much the promotors of the hotel are paying the mayor is, of course, unknown (it Continue reading Supreme Court confirms Algarrobico hotel is illegal but Carboneras fights on

Catalan referendum on independence convoked (even if it’s illegal)

Artur Más has just announced to the Catalan parliament that he will organise a referendum on independence in Catalonia, even though he has been warned by Madrid that such a move would be illegal under the Constitution. The President of Catalonia said that a referendum was the only democratic and fair way to solve the issue for once and for all, and told PSC (PSOE in Catalonia) members in the regional parliament that he would Continue reading Catalan referendum on independence convoked (even if it’s illegal)

Priors launch court case against Spanish courts for justice

Len and Helen Prior, both 68, in 2008 became the first British home owners in Spain to have their property demolished over so called “planning irregularities”. Despite having the correct planning permission for their luxury villa from the town hall in Vera on Spain’s southern Costa Almeria, the regional government of Andalusia revoked the licence and sent in the bulldozers. A year after the demolition, Spain’s Constitutional Court ruled that it had been carried out Continue reading Priors launch court case against Spanish courts for justice