Tag Archives: austerity

Junta asks EU to 280M to finish off Almería’s motorways

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The Junta has said it will finish off all of the abandoned motorways in the province, if the EU stumps up 280 million euros to pay for it all. Well, that’s the essence of yesterday’s statement. The plan submitted to the EU is asking for Andalucia’s share of Presidents Juncker’s massive cash spend under the known “Plan Juncker”. The EU Prezzie, you will remember, has abandoned austerity and announced he’s spending hundreds of billions of Continue reading Junta asks EU to 280M to finish off Almería’s motorways→

This is the sort of government costcutting that will save Spain!

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Two bills arrive for the company from the Diputación, both rubbish bills, sent out regular as clockwork four times a year. Now, some penny counter in the government has obviously thought that blighter Mr Jackson! He’s costing us TWO stamps every quarter! And hunted through 64,000 preprinted bills to find my two, and stuffed them into one single envelope, thus saving on one stamp. I wonder how much he gets paid an hour? Because even if Continue reading This is the sort of government costcutting that will save Spain!→

A great example of government cost cutting in action!

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Here’s one for all you scoffers out there who doubt that the central government is serious about cost cutting: a photo of a letter I received today. As you can see, it’s an envelope printed with the old name of the Ministerio de Industría, Turismo y Comercio. Instead of throwing away God only knows how many old printed envelopes when they changed the name of the Ministry earlier this year : someone has printed off Continue reading A great example of government cost cutting in action!→

30 billion euros of cuts to be announced this weekend

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A new wave of “financial adjustments” (cuts) are expected to be announced this weekend or early next week by the Spanish government, totalling up to 30 billion euros according to some reports. The cuts are to meet EU demands in exchange for the 100 billion bailout. The IVA increase is expected to be among the changes. Other changes are likely to be further pay cuts in the public sector, a freeze on pensions and benefits, Continue reading 30 billion euros of cuts to be announced this weekend→

First casualty of the cutbacks – Balearic Isles will close two hospitals, fire staff

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The region of the Balearic Isles has announced that due to cutbacks, it will have to close two hospitals: the Hospital General and the Hospital Juan March. This in an effort to save some 350 million euros a year. A further 74 million euros will be cut off the general budgets of education and health, and civil servents in the region are now expected to work 37.5 hours a week, up from the current 35 Continue reading First casualty of the cutbacks – Balearic Isles will close two hospitals, fire staff→

Things worse than we thought – government rises taxes, admits public deficit is 8% and makes public workers work harder

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The new government of Spain has announced today, in its first round of emergency budget revisions after the recent general elections, that the real level of Spain’s public deficit is at 8% of GDP, not the 6% said by the outgoing socialists, and almost double the EU’s maximum limit. In a first emergency budget modification announced today, Rajoy’s government has rised personal income tax, ranging from an increase of just 0’75% for the lowest level Continue reading Things worse than we thought – government rises taxes, admits public deficit is 8% and makes public workers work harder→

23,020,000,000€: Junta publishes 2012 budget figures (but no provincial breakdown!)

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The Junta de Andalucia has confirmed that the 2012 budget for the region will be 23,020 million euros, about 3,5% higher than last year, and the first time in 2 years that the budget has increased. Well, it’s an election year, and they have votes to purchase. The Junta has -well, lets say annoyed– many by refusing to publish a province by province breakdown of how much money each province will expect to receive. This Continue reading 23,020,000,000€: Junta publishes 2012 budget figures (but no provincial breakdown!)→

Vélez Málaga closes its tram lines to save cash

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Vélez Málaga,a town with a cash flow problem (show me one in Spain that doesn’t -ed) has announced it will close its tranvia service -the tram- to save cash after the Junta refused to subsidise it to the tune of 1,6 million a year. The closure will happen in November. The town will still have to pay some 600,000€ a year to keep the basic infrastructure up to code. The town will use the extra Continue reading Vélez Málaga closes its tram lines to save cash→

Junta blows 800,000€ on Almeria catamaran race

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After being asked at least three times at a press conference, the regional director of the Junta’s tourism department eventually admitted how much the Junta is to spend on the 2010 Almeria catamaran races. Despite having billed this as an event “similar to the 2005 Med games”, the Junta’s own figures estimate that only about 15,000 people will take part in the race events: fewer than an average Almeria FC football game. A series of Continue reading Junta blows 800,000€ on Almeria catamaran race→

State investment drops by 75% in province

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After having spent a delightful 20 minutes reading the National Archives UFO files (and buying Dr Clarks book, I hope it’s good) I came across this undereported gem of a report from Cajamar, which estimates that state infrastructure projects in the province have dropped by 75% so far this year. The report has been snapped up by Miguel Uribe, head of the Almeria Business Association Asempal. Uribe has thrown the party line aside, and is Continue reading State investment drops by 75% in province→