Chaves & Griñán thrown to the judicial wolves to save the PSOE-A

Susana Díaz may be President of Andalucía after all next week, after her two predecessors Manuel Chaves & José Griñán both announced they would quit politics at the next elections. It is impossible for Susana to become President at next weeks investiture without the support of some of the opposition parties, and both Podemos & Cuidadanos have drawn “lines in the sand” which Susana’s PSOE party have to agree to first. The first of the Continue reading Chaves & Griñán thrown to the judicial wolves to save the PSOE-A

Judge goes after Griñan and Chaves in corruption scandal rocking Andalucias government

Judge Alaya has formally requested the presence of the legal defense teams of ex-Presidents Griñán (he quit last week) and former President Chaves, the two former leaders of Andalucia, in the massive ERE corruption scandal rocking Andalucia. The ERE scandal, for the uninitiated, is an investigation into the crooked payment of illegal pensions and redundancy payments (using over a billion euros of tax payers money) to political buddies in state owned companies across Andalucia. So Continue reading Judge goes after Griñan and Chaves in corruption scandal rocking Andalucias government

Andalucian democracy was another pipedream – Griñán to quit by September but no elections!

President Griñán of Andalucia is expected to announced his resignation as leader of the PSOE party in Andalucia, and a timetable in which he will retire as President of Andalucia, as he becomes ever more mired in scandal over the Andalucian ERE slush fund allegations. He’ll “probably step down in September” says El Mundo, although we’ll know more later today. It’s generally accepted that since he’s about to be called to court to testify, and Continue reading Andalucian democracy was another pipedream – Griñán to quit by September but no elections!

Griñán will quit at (or before!) next elections

President Griñán, head honcho of the Andalucian branch of the socialist PSOE and current President of Andalucía, has announced he is to stand down at the next regional elections (or maybe even before). At 67, he is rumoured to have some health problems, and the ongoing investigation into the ERE scandal, the jobs for boys scandal, the this scandal, the that scandal, etc, etc etc have all taken their toll. Although the PSOE in Andalucia Continue reading Griñán will quit at (or before!) next elections

5.693.100 unemployed – even in summer, a further 53.500 unemployed

Spains unemployment has soared to record levels this summer, despite the fact that summer is traditionally the period where, what with beach bars, hotels and whatnot, unemployment drops due to temporary summer work contracts. A further 53.500 people lost their jobs last month to June, about 1% of the total, bringing the total number of unemployed up to 5.693.100 across the nation at the beginning of this month, or 24.63% of the active workforce. 53.28% Continue reading 5.693.100 unemployed – even in summer, a further 53.500 unemployed

Anticorruption group launches criminal corruption complaint against Andalucia President & ministers involved in ERE case

Manos Limpias, the national group dedicated to fighting corruption in public office, has announced that they have lodged a personal criminal complaint (querella) against Jose Griñán (President of Andalucía), Manuel Chaves (ex-President of Andalucía and third VP of Spain under Zapatero in the last government), and the Andalucian ex-ministers Gaspar Zarrías and José Antonio Viera. The complaint alledges that the politicians spent hundreds of millions of euros of public funds via slush funds in paying Continue reading Anticorruption group launches criminal corruption complaint against Andalucia President & ministers involved in ERE case

Tea with the President

I’ve been “cordially invited” * to meet the (unelected) President of Andalucía Jose Antonio Griñán this Thursday, which is nice. The Mayor popped her head round the door of the bar this morning, having spotted me taking coffee and a tostada inside, and said that she’d just received confirmation that he’d be in town on Thursday, and was keen to meet some local businesspeople, and would I care for the honour. The subtext, of course, Continue reading Tea with the President

Griñán: 2011 budget “very restricted”

President Griñán of Andalucía has warned that due to falling tax revenues, the 2011 budget of Andalucía will be “not happy, and extremely restrictive”. He said that certain ministries must expect “sweeping” budget cuts. He made the comments in a press meeting today after leaving a government meeting which was discussing the 2011 budget. However, he has promised to maintain the programme of “social inclusion” – ie, enourmous handouts to people who don’t want to Continue reading Griñán: 2011 budget “very restricted”

Griñán’s visit to Turre “worse than when Franco came” says IU

This made me laugh. Martin had a point tho’. Marching kids out of school and telling them to “smile and wave” when the President came by? Don’t steal kids for political photos – or when Franco mark 2 came to Turre. Only consolation is that old Grimy didn’t look too happy in the photo. Did he want to be surrounded by sticky kids?

I bumped into Griñán today…

quite literally, he was blocking the door. I politely tapped him on the shoulder and asked him to move aside, and as he swung round and glared at me I did a double take. He was there chatting to Martin Soler (Innovacion), Luciano Alonso (Turismo), Usuero  from the Diputacion and a few local mayors. Had I been a suicide bomber I could have done quite a bit of damage. Couple of swarthy looking fellas in Continue reading I bumped into Griñán today…