Cold shoulder

issued just 8,227 fines last year.

The news comes as the country battles a worrying rise in road fatalities, with 1,145 people losing their lives on Spanish roads last year alone.

Authorities are keen to tackle the issue and have recently cracked down on speeding drivers and in‐stalled more speed cam‐eras on Spanish roads.

The DGT has increased the number of speed cameras by 7 per cent since Jan ‐uary 2022, bringing the to‐tal to over 2,000.

Betty Henderson

A BRAND‐NEW study by Electomanía, a leading Spanish polling company, has revealed the Region of Murcia is the most ‘hated’ autonomous community in Spain.

The study, released on Thursday, April 20, surveyed 1,620 peo‐ple across the country and asked them about their ‘spontaneous feelings’ towards their own autonomous community and the oth‐ers.

According to the results, Asturias is the most valued region in Spain, followed by Galicia, the Basque Country, and Navarra. But the region of Murcia ranks at the bottom, with a score of only 6.2, even lower than the north African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. The study also shows a clear divide between the north and south, with voters in northern regions consistently giving the worst ratings to Murcia, while southern regions ranked Murcia much higher.

The findings have caused quite a stir. Some have suggested it may be due to a lack of awareness or understanding about the re‐gion, while others speculate it may be due to its hot climate. and reputation as a retirement destination.