My my, it’s all about the economy today!
The Junta has just announced that it is to “reprogramme the completion schedules” of three major road building projects across the province, and a further 30 across Andalucia, saving itself 817 million euros in the next financial year.
The Junta has said -firmly said- that these roads are not cancelled, simply delayed, although it refuses to say when it plans to restart the works. Contracts that have been awarded will stay awarded, but works will not commence nor will payments be made until a firm date is made. Works will recommence on a case per case basis, it seems. In some cases work had already started on these projects. Read more…
We all know that newspapers who support the government get “institutional support”. IE, the politicians pay for large useless adverts with taxpayers money in exchange for favourable coverage.
Changing the subject, our local newspaper La Voz de Almería is part of Grupo Prisa, which is a large PSOE orientated media group which includes such treasures as El País newspaper or Cadena 40. I have spoken before of how La Voz is similar to Pravda, in as much as its pretty much a state run mouthpiece which occasionally hints at deeper truths. La Voz usually has large government ads in it.
Anyway, I just love this advert which ran last week on the back page of La Voz.
Yup – the Junta is paying for an advert in a newspaper, telling us to read newspapers (and, I suppose, pay 1€ a day for it).
And the ad, no doubt, will only appear in “friendly” papers. After all, the PSOE needs some media friends to support their daft ideas on the future economy of Spain…..
Griñán has consolidated his grip on Andalucía by sweeping away the old Chaves guard, closing down two conserjerías and reshuffling the whole Junta de Andalucía.
He has appointed a number of his cronies to important positions and “made his mark”. Just one week after being officially given head of the PSOE party in Andalucía.
Hats off, I mean, how long did it take Stalin to sweep away the influence of Lenin? etc etc.
Ole Grimey says he wants a “modern and efficient government” and has promised a new age of austerity, with e-administracion being the new word.
Apparantly we all have to file paperwork online now. Should be fun.
The Conserjería of Justice and Public Administration, and Viviendas y Ordenacion Terretorial will both be closed down and merged with other branches of government.
An attempt to hide the urban abuse scandal? Espadas is being kicked out of government and his ministry swept out…. I suspect there is a long term plan, but what could it be?
Well, at least they recognise that they’ve destroyed Andalucia as a second home residence by allowing builders to put up lots of shoddy, illegal homes then bugger off scot free. Then knocking the homes down with compensating the expats who have bought them. Which, as you can imagine, has not gone down well with the expats who have warned everyone not to come to Spain.
The solution? Apparantly, instead of legalising the homes already built and punishing the people who put them up, is to gather all the unsold homes and legalise them, before trying to flog them, thus allowing the builders to recoup costs and build more.
People who have already brought in Andalucia can go whistle.
Sooner we get rid of the PSOE the better. Incompetent bunch of “b”ankers. Juan Espadas, our local Housing Honcho, has admitted “there is no solution in sight” for the 6000+ illegal homes in the Almanzora.
The País Vasco is the Basque Country, Spain’s answer to Northern Ireland. Rugged, beautiful, with a strange language unconnected to the main patois and a fierce independent spirit.
It recently had an election, along with Galicia. If you want the breakdown on the seats won, click here. Basically, PNV (the main nationalist party that has controlled the regional parliment since democracy) got 30 seats. PSE-PSOE got 24. P.P. got 13. Aralar (another nationalist party) got 4. EA 2. EB 1. UPD 1.
This meant that Juan José Ibarretxe Markuartu, commonly known as Ibarretxe has been the Lehendakari (Regional President – it’s a Basque term) since 1999, and his party (the PNV – Partido Nacionalista Vasco, Basque Nationalist Party) have controlled Parliment since democracy.
The position of Lehendakari is one that is voted by the members of the Regional Parliment, you need a majority of votes to be sworn in. It’s an important and ceremonial position, and the fact that a strong Nationalist has always occupied the post means that the flicker of independence has always lighted the fresh faces of young students and other idealists.
Until now, when ZP and Rajoy (national leaders of the PSOE and P.P. parties, PSOE being the ruling socialist party and PP the conservative opposition) have apparently agreed to an unholy alliance, and will vote together in the Lehendakari elections to appoint PSOE regional leader Patxi López to the post. For the first time ever, it seems as if the Basque Country will have a Madrid stooge at the helm. Unless the nationalists stop squabbling and get together. Which they probably won’t, as UPyD fell out with PNV after the last elections when they were sidelined and have also promised to join the PSOE/PP alliance. Which gives Patxi a majority of votes.
To put this in perspective for the Brits, it would be as if Labour and the Tories formed a coalition government in Scotland with the avowed aim of ousting “The Salmon” from his position, then dissolved the coalition.
There are already frantic shouts of betrayal from among the masses (who, understandably, feel a bit annoyed by this), and personally I take my hat off to old Patxi, who seems to be walking into the lions’ den with his eyes open.
It’s worthing noting that ABC seems to think that President-for-life Chaves of Andalucia, who let’s face it, knows a thing or two about staying in power, has apparently acted as kingmaker and given his blessing to the union. ZP has promised to “assume the fallout” from this.
No word from ETA, the terrorist group, although analysts here at Jackson Central assume that they’re over the moon about this as it will give them fresh ammo in the political war. “Not content with banning any legitimate party that clamours for independence” will run the argument, reminding the voters of the fiasco over the D3M party and others that were banned shortly before the election, “the Madrileño left and right come together to keep us under the jackboot of oppression! To arms, comrades! Euskadi Ta Askatasuna!”
And let’s not forget that a President who has a minority in Parliment, and only got in because of political horseplay with his opposition isn’t going to have a very succesful reign. Makes me wonder what the PP were promised in exchange… I’m sure it’s nothing big. Ahhem. The next few days promise to be interesting…
Oh, and a final point that ocurrs to me: If this gives ETA a boost (frankly, I thought they were all dead), is the first thing they’re going to do is come down to our beaches this summer and let off car bombs as they did a few years ago? Is that why Chaves was consulted?
The Junta de Andalucia and Sevillana Endesa -normally the best of friends, and if you want one then you’ll find them in bed with the other- has display a small rift with Sevillana Endesa over the change from bimonthly to monthly billing.
Those of us on “small” (under 10Kw lines) will have noticed that we are now being billed monthly, instead of every two months, and what is more, the first month is estimated. In some cases, according to complaints, estimated by over 200% more than reality.
This has lead to such an influx of complaints from members of the public that not only has Endesa’s complaint lines collapses, but the Juntas as well; as vast numbers of complaints and queries come in.
This has lead to (shock! gasp! falls against the wall holding his fluttering heart with a moan!) the opening of an informative investigation (expediente informativo) against the company to see if its new policy is “against the public interest”.
Gaspar Zarrias, First VicePresident of the Andalucian Parliment and a man trotted out to the camaras when Pressie for Life Chaves prefers to sit out the crisis in the shadows, has promised a full investigation into the complaints and unprompted (something which has shocked the local media) threated fines and sanctions against the electrical company if it is found to be abusing its power (well, why else have power? asked a bemused Sevillana official [not really]).
“Sevillana Endesa must justify the increase and if there are irregularities, let no citizen have the least doubt that we will ask for the return of payments and impose sanctions” he warned.
Sevillana, apart from the dodgy estimates (which aren’t refunded, only credited if they take too much out of your account) has also convinced the government to allow them to impose a 3,5% increase in the base cost of electricity. January isn’t the best month to do things like this.
For example, the Sevillana Endesa office of Ribera del Genil yesterday had at one point over 300 irate customers demanding attention, apparantly forcing the local police to come round to impose control. Jose Carlos Lopez, a local fella, was indignant as he pointed out that he only earnt 1000€ a month, but was charged 404€ byb Endesa for one months electricity, as opposed to an averge of 50€ a month which was his real usage. “This means my family cannot eat this month” he proclaimed to the press, “but if I refuse to pay it then my family shall be left in the dark”.
FACUA -Federación de Asociaciones de Usuarios y Consumidores, one of Spains principal Consumer Associations- are producing a leaflet informing clients of Endesa of their rights if they believe their estimated bill to be excessive, as the company hasn’t bothered to do this, and are “still deciding what our national response is to be”.
Another client, Jose Aranda, is bitter because it seems that on his bill they have charged him for exceeding his electric charge, despite the fact he never has before.
A statement issued by Sevillana Endesa reminds its customers that it was granted permission to move to bimonthly billing with one estimated by Royal Decree late last year, and that “the company has abided by the rules; we have done nothing wrong”.
The Junta de Andalucia has announced a scheme to get SL companies up and running within 24 hours -as opposed to the normal 35-40 working days it currently takes.
The scheme consists of, believe it or not, some 500 preset up companies, complete with CIF and social capital of 3006€. In theory, all you have to do is ask the Junta for one, roll up to the notary with your 3006€ and sign a Subsanacion to the Escritura which allows you to take over the company and change its social objective.
An amazingly pragmatic way around the byzantine labyrinth that is setting up a limited company in Spain.
Lenox is announcing the organisation of a peaceful and legal demonstration in Almeria city against urban abuse in the countryside.
“Theme: Stop Corruption. Justice Now. Support us. We bought in good faith. Save our homes. Stop planning and real estate abuse. Regularisation now. Justice for the Priors. Transparency and Citizen Participation.
The organisers, residents in the province of Almería, are holding a peaceful protest: (1) against real estate and planning corruption and insecurity and to ask for justice; (2) to ask for solutions and the protection of purchasers in good faith, some of which, are subject to the threat of demolition, and many of which do not have proper water and electricity; (3) to seek transparency and citizen participation in the regularisation process; (4) against proposed charges the Junta seeks to levy within the regularisation process, and which should be met by those responsible, and to ensure this is guaranteed in writing; (5) to ask for justice for the Prior family, victims of so-called ‘planning irregularities’, whose house was demolished a year ago, and who have not yet seen any sign of redress.”
Thank you for the support of the following citizens movements: AVEP, AULAN, AUAN, AUN, LSOS, Ciudadanos Europeos (other contacts at ‘politics’ in links at top of page).
If anybody wants to have a seat on a chartered bus for a nominal charge (Vera, Mojacar, Turre and Los Gallardos pick-ups), get in touch with AULAN secretary ASAP at info@aulan.es or phone 950 069 558.
Gabriel Amat, leader of the Partido Popular (PP) in Almería, used a press conference in the municipality of Fondón to complain about the vast amount of money being spent by PSOE and President-for-life Chaves on advertising, despite their calls for “austerity”.
It seems that in the 2009 budget, despite a lot of trimming and cutting out of pet projects such as the renovation of the Cable Íngles, a new hospital, new courts for Roquetas del Mar, elimination of level crossings, a cut of 12,9% for the Almeria provincial Employment Agency, etc etc, etc, etc, the advertising budget for the Junta still stands at – wait for it! – €195,000,000.
Leaving aside the fact that government subsideries for RTV-A and other media outlets are not included in that amount. That 195 million euro figure is just for advertising – mainly in the PSOE controlled press & radio, no doubt. Those lovely 5 minute adverts for “Visit Andalucía” on Andalucian TV (anybody ever thought of running those ads outside of Andalucía?) will no doubt continue to run and run.
After the uproar yesterday about the proposed 100 million euro payment by the Ministry of the Environment to Azata, the owners of El Algarrobico hotel in Carboneras, the Ministry (which, remember, is central government in Madrid, not the Junta de Andalucia, who seems to have washed their hands of the matter) has hastily backtracked.
They have announced the the price of 100 million was set some months ago after an independent firm surveyed the installations and ground (known as a tasación in Spanish), but this survey was for “orientation purposes only”. They further said that the agreement announced yesterday with Azata was simply that they would offer to buy the whole installation to speed everything up, and that Azata agreed to this, but that no price had been set. The Ministry has now ordered a new tasación be carried out, probably mid September, and said that it expects to pay only a fraction of the 100 million previously quoted.
Azata is, understandably, annoyed, and accused the Ministry of simply trying to hide the fact that central government doesn’t have enought cash to pay the previous valuation. It also said that it cannot understand how the Ministry expects a second survey to come to a different conclusion from the first, as nothing has changed and the prices are set by an independent panel of experts. Azata concluded that it hoped that the Ministry would “play by the rules” but that it would not accept a substantially lowered valuation.
Meanwhile, the whole sorry process is still going through the courts, and the Junta de Andalucia says that it will not take a decision until the courts have decided upon the legality of the hotel. However, Manuel Chaves, President apparantly for life of Andalucia, did publically say a while back that the hotel was illegal and will never open, so hopefully his subordinates will be too scared of embarrassing their lord and master to do anything but knock the blasted thing down.
In conclusion, if Azata accepts the Ministrys’ offer, central Government will buy it and knock it down. If they don’t, it’s up to the Junta de Andalucia to keep pressing the matter through the courts until a final, binding decision is made. Which could be a while, the way things are going.
or see a 
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