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Issue 737
29 NOV - 4 DEC 2013
Important! Due to the Bank holiday the next edition of RTN will be available on Thursday 5th.
The Padron and what it means to you THE PADRON: no matter how you feel about it: if you live in Spain for more than 90 days you are obliged by law to be on it. by Keith Nicol
2014’s Reina de la Sal: Saray Sánchez Jurado
Saray Sánchez Jurado, new Salt Queen
TORREVIEJA’S MUNICIPAL Theatre was packed to full capacity on Saturday as Saray Sánchez Jurado was crowned 2014’s Salt Queen. The first official event for Saray takes place from 5.00pm on Saturday, November 30th, with Torrevieja’s Floral Processions, which will decorate the front of the City’s Inmaculada Church. More information at www.torrevieja.es.
EVEN IF you are not permanently resident, there can be advantages of doing do. In the last couple of weeks a team from the Spanish Census and Statistics office has been touring the region and visiting some of the main expatriate population centres to try and explain the benefits of being on the local Padron and making a difference by registering for your right to vote in Municipal and European Elections. However, from each meeting, attendees, including Town Hall representatives, have left with different interpretations of what is required of them and what the actual benefits of being on the Padron are. Each Municipality has approached the situation differently, with some being accused of pure vote gathering while others are trying to make the process as simple as possible to ensure one is legal and you can vote in elections. The largest expatriate population in the region and third behind Madrid and Barcelona when it comes to residents registering for their rights to vote is Torrevieja. With a current population of 107,347, represent-
ing 114 countries of which 56% are foreign nationals, at present 12,758 come from the UK and 991 from Ireland alone. Of these more than 13,000 are entitled to a vote but less than 5% have chosen to do so. However, the National Statistics Institute estimate that another 70,000 or more from the UK and Ireland have second homes in the city, and although the INS admit that their system is flawed but improving, all of these people have the right to be on the Municipal Padron and the right to vote in Municipal and European Elections. The British Consulate also back up the importance of the system and have said “Registering on the Padron gives you access to some benefits and social care, and can mean significant savings on certain community charges and inheritance tax. Unfortunately, if you don’t register, you can’t expect the Spanish authorities to provide social services or other help when you may need it in the future. Up to a million British citizens live in Spain for part or all of the year.” In essence, if you are not on your local Padron you risk losing such rights as provided to Spanish Citizens, especially for Social Services. Continued on page 8
See page 62