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south EDITION roundtownnews.com
28 june - 4 july 2013
Issue 715
New National Police Office for Torrevieja TORREVIEJA REMAINS the only city in Spain, with a population greater than 100,000 people, without a National Police Station. by Keith Nicol
Dr Susan Grundy
Old Master on the Costa Blanca
ART HISTORY faces massive upheaval after a 17th Century painting surfaced on the Costa Blanca with tests revealing it could be an original by Flemish-artist Sir Anthony Van Dyck. Read the full story on page 5.
Former Prime Minister Zapatero was accused by the Partido Popular of discriminating against the city as his government opened other National Police Stations around Spain, with lesser populations that were PSOE controlled, while claiming that he could not afford to build one in the City of Salt! This was even though his PSOE government had already agreed to do so resulting in Torrevieja buying land and spending many euros on the project! In this time of crisis, money to build a complete facility in Torrevieja is not available but the Town Hall has been renting an office close to the Molino for Spanish Passports, NIE, DNI and Residency Papers as a stopgap measure. That is about to change shortly as this week Torrevieja’s Mayor Eduardo Dolon meet with the Government delegate in Valencia, Paula Sánchez de León who announced the signing of an agreement to create an integrated office of the national police aimed specifically at foreign residents, while still offering essential services to Spanish citizens. The mayor highlighted the urgent need for this service by the National Police, given that 55% of residents enumerated in Torrevieja are citizens of foreign origin. This week, the Government delegate from Valencia, Paula Sánchez de León, accompanied by the Mayor, Eduardo Dolon, the dep-
uty of the Government in Alicante, Alberto Martinez, and General Manager of the Guardia Civil, Fernando Santa Fe, made the announcement in press conference following the conclusion of the Local Security Board meetings. They noted that because of the current economic crisis, and the impossibility of building a new National Police Station in Torrevieja right now that a commitment has been made to the mayor to provide an official service in the city. All parties will have a further meeting to firm up dates for an agreement with the Ministry of the Interior of the Government of Spain, for the launch of an Integral Office of the National Police, dedicated to the care of foreigners. Eduardo Dolon has highlighted the urgent need for this service by the National Police, since 55% of the resident population are foreign and he added “the circumstances here mean that we can not delay the implementation of this service, which is not part of the services offered by the Guardia Civil of Torrevieja and, therefore, in this way we would be fully covered.” Eduardo Dolon said that the City of Torrevieja will transfer city centre premises to the Interior Ministry specifically for this purpose. The mayor indicated that there are two locations that could accommodate this office: the existing local police office along the Avda de la Habaneras or in the premises of a new building to be constructed next to City Hall.