Spanish Senate rejects homeowners bid to improve the reliability of the Land Registry

Land Registry still not obliged to record existence of planning irregularities or demolition orders Homeowners associations from across Spain failed in their bid to persuade the Spanish Senate to vote in favour of an amendment to the law regulating the Land Registry aimed at protecting buyers who purchase a house with a clean bill of health from a Land Registry Search (Nota Simple) only to find that the property has planning issues or even a Continue reading Spanish Senate rejects homeowners bid to improve the reliability of the Land Registry

Bonfires of Madrid – townhall destroying “tons” of paperwork as PP lose power

Union CCOO have filed an urgent complaint with the courts to prevent the destructions of thousands of documents currently underway in Madrid townhall. The townhall has told reporters that this is just routine clearing of old documents “a perfectly normal and logical process that all public entities and corporations do every so often to make space”. However, the CCOO says that “since 1977 townhall workers have never seen such a thorough and full destruction of Continue reading Bonfires of Madrid – townhall destroying “tons” of paperwork as PP lose power

Judge opens investigation into allegations of Mojacar postal fraud

A Judge in Vera has opened an investigation into whether postal fraud was committed in Mojacar by the PP in last Sundays election. The Judge has accepted the complaints filed by the opposition parties into irregularities after the postal vote discovered to be 16% of the total number of votes, against a national average of under 2%. Opposition parties Unión Mojaquera, Somos Mojácar and the PSOE all joined together to file a series of joint Continue reading Judge opens investigation into allegations of Mojacar postal fraud

Too dangerous to deliver post when it’s windy

The Inspectorate of Work (Spanish health and safety, basically) has ruled that it’s too dangerous to deliver the post when it’s windy in Almería. The ruling came after a complaint earlier in the year from a postman that it was too windy to drive his official moped around. Correos disagreed and disciplined the man, who sent a complaint to the IoW, who have now come back and said he was right. The trouble comes from Continue reading Too dangerous to deliver post when it’s windy

Ryanair’s ground staff in Madrid go on strike over this summer

Chaos will hit Ryanair flights across Spain this summer after their ground staff in Madrid announced an “indefinite” strike. Although only the Madrid ground staff are striking, the knockon effect looks to affect Ryanair flights across the peninsula. The strike starts on the 30th May unless a settlement is reached. It’s being called because Ryanair has suddenly announced a 30% pay cut for these workers and has refused to sit down with unions to discuss Continue reading Ryanair’s ground staff in Madrid go on strike over this summer

Daddy Yankee’s world tour stops off in Mojácar

Milan, Paris, Luxembourg, Rome, Tel Aviv, Alicante, Bilbao… and Mojácar. Puerto Rican latino singer Daddy Yankee has announced that one of the stops on his would tour will be in Mojácar. Well, that’s what local newspapers say – his official webpage just says “Almería, Spain”. Few details are available yet other than the date, 1st of August. I’ve never heard of the bloke, and I suspect you haven’t either, but if you want a taste Continue reading Daddy Yankee’s world tour stops off in Mojácar

Mayor Grima postal fraud scam under electoral board investigation

The allegation that Mayor of Turre Arturo Grima was spotted in Mojácar’s post office posting 80 postal votes is the subject of an investigation by the electoral board. The PSOE received a tipoff from a worker in the post office that Grima had been spotted handing the postal votes over the counter and promptly filed a complaint with the local election board (JEZ). The post office worker also filed a complaint with his superiors, in Continue reading Mayor Grima postal fraud scam under electoral board investigation

Albanchez Mayor to be decided by coin spin

The small town of Albanchez, in the mountains above Almería, has had a draw declared in its municipal election last Sunday and so the Mayor will be decided by the toss of a coin. The PSOE and the ALpAL parties both got 238 votes. The PP, surprisingly, only got one vote, despite having presented a full list of councillors. It seems the local PP party had an internal split before the last elections and most Continue reading Albanchez Mayor to be decided by coin spin

Four days of air traffic control strikes across Spain next month

Almeria airport

Chaos for holidaymakers after four partial strikes were announced today by the Spanish union of air traffic controllers. The strikes will happen on the 8,10,12&14th of June. The strikes have been called as a protest measure after Catalan 61 air traffic controllers were fined earlier this year for taking part in the 2010 wildcat strikes that paralysed Spanish air traffic that December. Update The strikes have been confirmed, but will be limited to two hours Continue reading Four days of air traffic control strikes across Spain next month

PP look set to keep control of the Diputación

The County Council (Diputación) looks set to be retained by the PP. Although several townhalls could still change hands in the coming weeks as post-electoral pacts are made – the PP have minority control over 12 towns – it looks like they have won the most towns overall. Final results as of midday today: PSOE: 41 towns with absolute majority, 3 with simple. PP: 39 towns with absolute majority, 12 with simple IU: 3 towns Continue reading PP look set to keep control of the Diputación