Month: March 2015

Banks to start charging you DOUBLE to use hole in the wall machines

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

Not content with whacking a charge on ATM machines everytime you withdraw cash, Caixabank has now announced a second €2 which will be applied at their end. And other Spanish banks admit they are mulling the charge over. So if you use a Caixabank card to withdraw cash from any hole in the wall, you get charged €2. And if the hole in the wall machine doesn’t belong to Caixabank, you get another charge from Continue reading Banks to start charging you DOUBLE to use hole in the wall machines→

EU investigates Spain over the foreign asset declaration form 720

Posted on by — 3 Comments ↓

Remember the foreign asset declaration form? The infamous “modelo 720” which obliges residents to declare all major assets outside of Spain, such as bank accounts or a house back in Blighty. You can be fined a vast amount for not declaring these assets. If you don’t file the tax form being obliged to do so, or file it incorrectly, you get fined €5000 per mistake, with a minimum fine of €10.000. And if you don’t Continue reading EU investigates Spain over the foreign asset declaration form 720→

Junta asks for police warrant to demolish the Algarrobico hotel

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

The Junta de Andalucia has asked for judicial permission to enter the Algarrobico hotel grounds and demolish it for once and for all, despite delaying tactics by the builder. A request for a warrant was filed with the Supreme Court on Friday asking for permission to bypass the builder Azata del Sol SL, and requesting police protection for demolition experts to enter the area at will. The request also asks the court for an order Continue reading Junta asks for police warrant to demolish the Algarrobico hotel→

Remains of Miguel de Cervantes, writer of Don Quijote, found

Posted on by — 2 Comments ↓

The remains of Miguel de Cervantes, the Spanish answer to Shakespeare, have been found in a mass grave in the monastery of Convento de las Trinitarias in Madrid, according to an official report published today. Investigators have spent the last few years digging through the ancient tombs in the crypt below the Convent, and are “pretty sure” that Miguel and his wife Catalina de Salazar have been found. However, no DNA remains have been found Continue reading Remains of Miguel de Cervantes, writer of Don Quijote, found→

Almería’s museum given top marks by influential Chinese guide book

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

The Museum of Almería has been declared a “Top Choice 2015” by the Lianorg Guide, an influential Chinese guidebook which helps Chinese & Japanese tourists plan their Western holidays. The award was given based on feedback by tourists to the Museum during 2014, as well as a visit by the local representative of the guide, who praised the Museum’s hard work in putting up information in both Chinese & Japanese. Director Arturo del Pino said Continue reading Almería’s museum given top marks by influential Chinese guide book→

Mojácar town plans rejected by government; opposition walk out over “cover up”

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

All opposition parties abandoned yesterday’s townhall meeting accusing the Mayor of a “cover up” after her new plans for the town were rejected by the Junta de Andalucia. Mojácar townhall had announced in a fanfare last September that a new PGOU (town zoning plan) had been drawn up which would secure the future for the town. It has now emerged that the Junta de Andalucia, the regional government, rejected the plans in December – but Continue reading Mojácar town plans rejected by government; opposition walk out over “cover up”→

Spectrum FM extends reach

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

Spectrum FM Costa Almeria have expanded their transmission area again to improve their coverage in Costa Almeria and Calida.Richard Shanley of Spectrum FM Almería told me that: The coastal frequency of 106.8FM has benefited from the latest state of the art antennas and transmitters giving coverage from Carboneras to just south of Cartegana. The 96.1FM inland frequency from Bedar to Baza and Lorca to Lubrin has also been overhauled and coupled with new software and Continue reading Spectrum FM extends reach→

Mojacar Mayor fined for refusing to demolish friends illegal house

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

The Mayor of Mojácar, Rosa Maria Caño (PP), has been fined for refusing to carry out her duties and order the partial demolition of the illegal extension of a house owned by a friend of hers, a prominent PSOE politician from Garrucha called Nicolas Piñero. The house in question is across the rambla before you get to the Parque Comercial, coming down the hill, and is marked by a large billboard reading “Obras Illegal”. The Continue reading Mojacar Mayor fined for refusing to demolish friends illegal house→

Rebranding corruption – coz a new name is as good as a new product, right?

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

Spanish politics is about to see a massive cleanup. No, the corrupt politicians aren’t going to jail – they’re being rebranded. You see, the Spanish have a wonderful word for someone who has been indicted in a criminal case: imputado. The word applies all the way up until formal charges and a prosecution are laid against you, when you become the acusado. It’s a word that has become common recently, with hundreds of politicians being Continue reading Rebranding corruption – coz a new name is as good as a new product, right?→

How many foreigners are registered to vote in the municipal elections?

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

I’ve been looking at the number of EU residents and people from non-EU countries who are registered to vote in the municipal elections this 22 May. Remember that EU citizens are automatically eligible to vote in the municipal elections of the town they live in, but certain non-EU countries (listed below) have bilateral agreements with Spain to extend their suffrage. Across the whole of Spain, there are 104.479 Brits registered to vote, the second largest Continue reading How many foreigners are registered to vote in the municipal elections?→