Living Wills can now be ratified online

Andalusia allows you to register a living will, a declaration of what treatment you do or do not want to receive at the end of your natural life. It allows you to authorise doctors to turn off your life support machine if you are in a vegetative state, or vice-versa; inscribe religious beliefs into your medical treatment if you are unable to act for yourself, etc, etc.

Cartagena toll road could be closed down

The Government has confirmed that it is prepared to close several toll roads if the operating companies eventually fold, including our local Vera-Cartagena road. The operating companies are all underwritten by the State, so if they fail ownership of these toll roads would go back to Madrid. These roads are all currently in bankruptcy proceedings, and their future is uncertain. The Vera-Cartagena road is almost certain to be liquidated by the Courts as it has Continue reading Cartagena toll road could be closed down

Spain finally admits it just can’t afford the AVE network

Here’s an interesting fact for you: Spain has this year cut spending on the expansion of its AVE network by 2.214 million euros. That’s money that was supposed to have been spent this year, but now won’t be. That’s equivalent to: more than the budget for the National Education Ministry; half the National Defense budget; about the same as the non-contributive Pensions budget; 3% of GNP. The graph above explains in brief where the cuts Continue reading Spain finally admits it just can’t afford the AVE network

Tax Office wants to run snitches

The Tax Office Hacienda has asked for permission to be allowed to run informants (also known as snitches, grasses, stool pigeon or finks). The Spanish call them chivatos, and those who lived through Franco’s day fondly remember the great chivato massacre of 1976. The body representing Tax Inspectors today said that if Inspectors were allowed to run their own networks of informants, similar to the Police, paying them cash in exchange for information, things would Continue reading Tax Office wants to run snitches

Albox Council votes to kick blackmailing gypsies out of town

More emerges on the Albox blackmailing case: the council will ask a court to kick the offenders out of town, or failing that, impose a massive restraining order on them. It seems there’s a big gypsy clan up there called Los Pertolos. A nasty little clan by all accounts, who over the last year have been dabbling in a bit of blackmail, protection racket and extortion. They’re fairly famous – ask any local bartender up Continue reading Albox Council votes to kick blackmailing gypsies out of town

Cajamar lends DCoop fruit 110 million euros at 1.5% interest

(It’s worth pointing out that the president of DCoop, Antonio Luque, is a Vice President at Cajamar). Not that anybody is suggesting a conflict of interests or anything, but even Antonio himself couldn’t believe his good luck: he told local media that “it was a fantastic rate, no other bank could come close”. Well, when it’s the same bloke asking and giving other peoples money… No, that’s unfair, I’m sure the credit was properly risk Continue reading Cajamar lends DCoop fruit 110 million euros at 1.5% interest