3 minute read

Vueling strike called off

crew registered with the CC.OO a 6.5 per cent increase, which they said was in line with the inflation rate.

Impact on customers has always been limited given the requirement to operate minimum services, instead resulting in the loss of cabin service on affected flights. Where flights could be cancelled passengers were moved to alternate days, given credits or rebooked on other airlines.

STAVLA had been calling for a 13.4 per cent increase rising to 33 per cent by 2025. But the compa­ ny had said was not financially possible and had instead given

Well-known author dies at 83

THE author, philosopher and politician, Xavier Rubert de Ventós, who wrote the ‘Theory of Sensibility’ has died at the age of 83. The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) told a local news source on Saturday, January 28 that he had passed away.

A Professor of Aesthetics at the Universitat Politècnica de

Catalunya and one of the founders of the Col·legi de Filosofia, de Ventós was also a member of PSC in Congress, between 1982 and 1986, and in the European Parliament, between 1986 and 1994.

De Ventós was also a professor at the University of Barcelona (UB) and a visiting professor at several North

American universities, including as Harvard, Brown, Berkeley, Cincinnati and New York. After writing ‘Theory of Sensibility’ he went on to receive numerous other distinctions. In all de Ventós wrote more than 30 books and was well known for his work on philosophy, ethics, aesthetics and politics.

The two parties are hopeful that an agreement can be reached by March.

Refugees exploited

Betty Henderson

AUTHORITIES working on a contraband tobacco case have revealed that criminals were illicitly using Ukrainian refugees for labour, providing low wages and work in poor conditions.

Police from the Guardia Civil announced the dismantling of a criminal ring running three illegal tobacco factories on Sunday, January 22, and now say Ukrainian refugees were being exploited to work in two of the factories in dismal conditions, in exchange for menial wages.

Ukrainian refugees who had arrived in Spain following Russia’s invasion of their country last year were living ‘crammed’ inside the factories according to police oficers who participated in the bust. On the other hand, criminal bosses were living luxury lifestyles, at the expense of their exploited labour.

The illegal tobacco factories were capable of producing around half a million packets of cigarettes every day. The first factory to be uncovered was located in Sevilla at the end of 2021, which led to the other factories in eastern Valencia and La Rioja being found during the last 12 months.

Police believe the gang was also involved in other organised crime including drug trafficking.

Five injured

FIVE people were injured on Sunday, January 29, after a landslide occurred on the A­395. The incident happened in the Granada municipality of Guejar Sierra. As reported by both 112 Emergencies Andalucia and the Guarda Civil, the road was closed in both directions at Km16.

Members of the public alerted the emergency services shortly before midday to the landslide on the road leading to the Sierra Nevada ski resort. They said a number of vehicles had been damaged and there were people in need of medical assistance.

112 deployed patrols from the Guardia Civil along with ambulances and the Fire Brigade. A Civil Protection unit was also dispatched to the location as well as National and Local Police patrols. It was confirmed by medical staff that five people needed treatment. They were transferred to the San Cecilio Hospital in Granada. Those injured included a four­month­old baby, a two­year­old boy, two women aged 36 and 60, and a 65­year­old man. Four vehicles were damaged by the rock fall. Heavy machinery was used to clear the road.

Spain and Slovakia

SPAIN and Slovakia are determined to strengthen relations in areas such as sustainable mobility and tourism.

Spain’s Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, travelled to the Slovak Republic to promote new investments linked to the manufacture of batteries needed to boost the new electric and connected mobility.

Slovakia is one of Europe’s major car manufacturing centres, employing over 200,000 people, with Volkswagen, KIA, Land Rover and Vol ­ vo among the brands that have factories in the country.

The Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, confirmed:

“With this visit, we want to reinforce the government of Spain’s commitment to the Inobat project, so that Spain is chosen for its new factory.”

“We have excellent human capital, first­class infrastructure and worldclass know­how in electric and connected mobility. Spain is firmly committed to the electrification of the automotive industry.”

The biggest tax reform over recent years is Spain’s new ‘solidarity tax on large fortunes’ which was suddenly announced at the end of last September. The good news, though, is that it only affects very wealthy individuals.

Income taxes

The state 2023 budget included measures to ease the income tax burden on low earners for 2023 and 2024.

At the same time, it increased tax on higher level of savings income by adding two tax bands. Your savings income (interest, dividends, capital gains etc) will be taxed as follows:

This article is from: