TRAILBLAZERS TO TRENDSETTERS The Olive Press celebrates International Women’s Day by highlighting some of the most influential characters, both past and present, and how Spain stacks up on gender equality in our special pullout inside
A special four-page pullout February 2024
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Not far enough OPINION by Yzabelle
WHAT’S THE SCORE?
Spain ranks fourth
F
in the EU Gender
Equality Index and
Yzabelle Bostyn explains
why…
Bostyn
A STUDY released logical Research by the Spanish Sociolines after statingInstitute hit the headbelieve ‘women’s 44% of Spanish men far that it is now equality has gone so discriminating against men’. While 32% of women agreed, the majority, 67%, believe inequality remains ‘very’ or ‘quite’ In comparison, large. just 48% of men with this statement. agreed But why do Spanish men feel disenfranchised? Digging deeper that they think into the data, we can see at least, equal women have better, or every aspect of opportunities in almost life; from promotions work to educational at access. However, when en, they reportedthe survey asked womportunities were that they felt their op‘worse’. For instance, just 27% of men said en’s access to wompositions of political sponsibility were recompared to 47% ‘worse’ than men’s, of women. Responses like this follow recent vances in women’s adIn 2005, then primerights in the country. minister Jose Zapatero, introduced most advanced some of the world’s gender equality The move came laws. after an Andalucian woman, Ana Orates was burnt alive her own home by in an abusive ex partner who she had spoken out against on television.
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EMALE equality in Spain had a big in 2023. year activities, the gender In December, Spanish Some 39% of Spanish imbalance flips. politicians Meanwhile, 70% men say they frequentproved an ‘Equal of Spain’s childcare Representation’ ap- ly take part in such activities, absences were granted designed to encourage work compared to that gender parity in Law just 33% of women. tics and business. they often sacrifice to women, showing politime at work to care for their families. It followed a landmark This category has try’s menstrual leave victory for the counalso contributed to Spain’s One in Europe to grant law, which was the first fourth place position, of the leave for women in- best, this areas where Spain performs the painful periods. creasing by 1.7 with points at women’scategory looks Despite all these since the 2020 index. health, life expectancy, rounding women’slaws, controversy surThe knowledge categohabits and access to sweep the country. rights continues to ry surveys not only serWhile some 67% ed- vices. women believe ucational achievement of discrimination remains While some 74% ‘quite large’ in the but the segregation of country, over Spanish men perSpanish men say Since then, subsequent of men and women equality has ‘gone44% of by ceive their governments So, how does Spain too far’. have also made subject studied. health to be ‘good’ or ‘very pared to other EU really perform when comIn Spain, women Most recently, strides towards equality. countries? The Olive Pedro Sanchez’s out- good’, compared investigates. number men in wing coalition introduced Press left to educa69% of women, a new ‘Equalitional attainment, With 76.4 points ty Law’ designed male life with 34% expectancy having degrees fourth in the EU’s out of 100, Spain ranks alent to positions of to create equal access is or their equiveconomic and and 23% currently years lower than some eight 6.2 points above Gender Equality Index. power. political in vocational trainwomen’s, at 80 years. ing. The figures Despite this, both for men are 32% has moved up twothe EU average, the country respectively. This, alongside places in the ranking and 21% years genders’ ‘healthy 2020. ing equality for other laws promotare equal, with men since Women life’ LGBTQ+ people, also outnumber and women enjoying 63 years of good The index is calculated sparked controversy men in the fields have education, health health. of Perhaps of different indicators based on a number and and and ruffled feathers across the country arts, representing welfare, humanities although this balance is due to the fact including time, knowlamongst the right edge, work, money, wing. almost half of univerthat women sity students. they have less timestick to healthier habits, Each of these is power and health. Many men are Although men represent to spend exercising - wrongly - seeing pared to men. using a variety of given a score worked out in laws as advantages comjust 25% these not offered to them. takes into accountdata, for instance, power ly this area, other studies indicateof students Some 79% avoid In fact, the so-called tobacco they great- sumption outnumber women the amount of ‘discrimination’ board members many Spanish men female counting in STEM compared to 69% and alcohol confor 65% of university subjects, ac- But only 38% of men. Although overall in high ranking companies. better described claim to be facing is students. of women the country take part in daily performs well in physical activity the GEI, it is still threatened by as the feeling of being Although Spain’s underperforming the slow eradication vegetables, 11% and eat sufficient fruits and areas and is important score may seem in various their privilege as of fewer than their high, the terparts. country has actually male counso where are Spanish to be aware of these, Women are not men. dropped five women thriving where are they struggling? places in the EU solutions for thegetting ‘more rights’ but and work ing, now standing rank- This domain looks at modern society. sexism that persists in women’s decision in 17th The improvement This becomes evident position. making power in political, of the country’s when we consider that almost 20% time This category looks score (+6.4) has social and economic been think inequality fewer men than women equal access to at of the main driversone still exists in the spheres. It seems that while country. ployment and emof Spain’s climb good Spain’s to fourth political are making it seemlaws and legislation working conditions place. equality has greatas women have more rights than men, well as the quantity This category ly advanced in for women is very the lived experience of women in full-time reers the amount considdifferent. cent years - women It is clear that work and the length Spanish women women spend of time account for 48% of their careers. perience high levels still excare, domestic doing of ministers, 42% of sexism in their Some daily lives. and social activities work employed in full time 14% fewer women are members of In my personal work com- standing ment and 46% of parliapared to men. experience, I am at 41% and 55% compared to men, regional warned not to walk respectively. still assemblies. On the career prospects Although Spain In the economic has im- indicator have been verballyhome alone at night, index, an EU wide proved sphere, 37% of directors of job quality, prosperity abused on Spain’s largest companies carry the burden in this area, women still rity, apps and been in and secu- Meanwhile, of care activities Spanish women catcalled while dating are women. mestic labour. own balcony. and do- men’s score 56 compared on my 57. to tral bank areboard members of Spain’s cenSome 41% of women Until women can split All of these statistics, care for family memHowever, in the 50/50. bers, elderly people is no doubt that live without fear, there world of sports and dicate that women’s though improved, in- story compared to 33% or those with disabilities, expectations Unfortunately, inequality still exists. TV, the couldn’t careers are to care for children. affected by Men representbe more different. Meanwhile, 64% of men. that remains init is unlikely the sexism 73% of decision A recent study of women do cooking Spanish society the country’s Olympic household cleaning makers in eradicated by laws. will be or Institute (INE) by Spain’s National Statistics sports organisations showed some 24% and more than their male everyday, some 20% aged A much deeper of women In the60% in publicly owned broadcasters. 24-49 with children counterparts. When it comes to required to makesocial intervention is domestic realm, resort to part-time work in social, leisure and women are still meaningful change, ing the effects of which will not create cultural parison order to care for their children in gender stereotypes, suffercom- oblige them to 4.7% of men. survey has uncovered.the backlash this which to sacrifice their free time and careers for their families.
GE ED
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70.04 /100
75.4 /100
81.1 /100
XXX
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91.2 /100
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Expats’ retirement dream ruined by shock €11,200 tax bill dating back three decades
A BRITISH couple’s retirement dreams have been shattered after their lawyers failed to pick up an ‘outstanding’ property tax that only emerged 26 years later. John Stephenson, 75, and wife Kathy, 78, are stunned that the ‘unfair’ €11,200 levy was applied last year. The ‘theft’ by the Hacienda tax authorities has nothing to do with them, they insist. It should have actually been paid by the previous owners of the three-bedroom property in 1996 SEVENTEEN years before they bought it. But this didn’t stop the taxman deducting it from the €375,000 they received from the sale of the Costa del Sol home in May. The former estate agents - who closed their Marbella firm due to Covid in 2022 - had decided to downsize from San Pedro to Tarragona (Catalunya). T h e y calculated the sale, plus other investments,
By Walter Finch
would take care of them through retirement. However, the outstanding IBI (rates) bill from 1996 has left them ‘financially short’. They had bought the property in 2013 and hired a legal firm to do the conveyancing. “Our lawyers obviously didn’t do a proper job as they assured us there was no debt on the house, we made sure of that,” John told the Olive Press. “The money was meant to pay off our car loan and other debts. Instead, we are struggling to pay them - at an age when we should be enjoying our retirement. “When our lawyer gave us the news, I said there must be some mistake. In fact I was devastated by it.” His lawyer, Alvaro Moreno, of Armo Legal Services, admitted the case w a s
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ANGRY: John feels betrayed by his lawyers
DREAM TURNED TO NIGHTMARE: Massive tax paid on sale of their home has left John and Kathy Stephenson out of pocket
‘quite strange’. “Normally these things come to light when you’re going through with the purchase, but there was no mention of the debt on the title deed,” he told the Olive Press this week. The problem, he admitted, was that the outstanding debt was only being posted on the official public buletin for Andalucia ‘at least once every four years’, meaning it stayed valid. It is normally the responsibility of the lawyer handling the sale - in this case Moreno’s former partner, Rafael Arevalo. But, it turns out Arevalo was not acting as John’s legal representative in the purchase. While an email chain seen by the Olive Press shows Arevalo acting as ‘Mr Stephenson’s Lawyer’, he oddly only signed the title deeds to the property as ‘a witness’. It was something John failed to pick up on at the time due to not knowing the Spanish word for ‘witness.’ And as a witness, it means Arevalo was ‘not liable’ for failing See page 5 to find the outstanding charge. “If I’d wanted a witness, I could’ve got anyone off the street to do it,” in-
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sisted John. The Olive Press has been unable to get in contact with Arevalo to clarify the situation and the ex partners at Armo Legal are ‘no longer on speaking terms’. “This is totally unacceptable,” insisted well known property lawyer Antonio Flores, who runs Lawbird, in Marbella. He insisted it is completely up to Arevalo and Moreno to prove they correctly did the due diligence in 2013 - and not the other way round. “The lawyers have to prove they did everything right,” he said. “They have to show that they looked in all the right places. “They should’ve fought harder against this mystery tax bill. John and Kathy shouldn’t give up.” Opinion Page 6
2
CRIME
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NEWS IN BRIEF
February 21st - March 5th 2024
EXPENSIVE ROMANCE
A VICTIM of Spanish-based serial fraudster Mark Acklom won’t get any compensation from her bank after being conned out of £750,000. Barclays Bank says that a six-month internal investigation has shown that they are not liable to make Carolyn Woods any payment.
Multinational bust AN Argentinian drug lord has been arrested as part of a ‘mega operation’ that took down his ‘cocaine empire’ of bars, nightclubs and sports centres in Marbella and Granada.
Woods argued that since a Barclays worker and a former employee were arrested during the police investigation on suspicion of conspiracy, the bank had failed in its duty of care to her as its customer. Neither of those probed were subsequently arrested. Mark Acklom, 50, moved to Spain with
his Spanish wife Yolanda Ros in 2013 after a romance scam involving Woods. He duped her out of her life savings by using the alias of Mark Conway who claimed to be a Swiss banker and MI6 agent. He persuaded Woods to move her money into a Barclays account and then got her, to transfer it all in a series of ‘loans’ into the account of an associate who was a former Barclays employee.
PARKED UP
Steady income
THE so-called ‘cocaine chauffeur’ who spent €1 million of taxpayers’ cash on organising drug-fuelled parties for corrupt politicians has finally been jailed. Juan Francisco Trujillo last month admitted his role in the shocking €1billion ERE corruption scheme, which took place in the southernmost region of Andalucia between 2000 and 2010. Trujillo told judges how he spent up to €25,000 a month on booze and cocaine
YOUNG narcos in the Campo de Gibraltar - one of the most depressed parts of Spain - can earn up to €4,000 for just 15 minutes work.
Bad cops A PAIR of brothers from Belarus evicted squatters from their flat in Barcelona - only for the police to come and arrest them and throw them in jail.
Cocaine chauffeur is jailed for nearly five years after splashing public funds on drug-fuelled parties
for himself and his former boss, Employment Minister Javier Guerrero. At a rate of ‘five to 10 grams’ a day, he admitted he spent €1,475,000 in state subsidies over just a couple of years. He was today jailed for four years and nine months for
By Laurence Dollimore
embezzlement and a string of other charges, and is banned from public office for at least seven years. The sentence is much lower than the 14 years sought by prosecutors at a court in Sevilla, the region’s capital. His ex-boss, Guerrero, who died in 2020, played a central criminal organisation, bribery and role in the pilmoney laundering, with prosecufering of around tors also seeking a €30 million fine. €680 million Broberg is the stepson of from public cofPP Marbella mayor Angeles fers as the local Muñoz, who was in a long-term minister responrelationship with his father Lars sible for distribGunnar Broberg, before his uting EU funds. death aged 80 last year. Trujillo colluded with Guerro to
Stepped out of line
Greengrocers
THE stepson of the mayor of Marbella is facing 22 years in prison if he is convicted on a string of drug trafficking charges. Joakim Peter Broberg, 51, is accused of leading a marijuana smuggling operation between Morocco, Spain and France. Among the charges are leading a
ALMOST two tonnes of hash destined for the United Kingdom have been seized in a raid on a smuggling gang operating out of the Costa del Sol.
Narco cop trial A TOP counternarcotics officer is on trial over allegations he bribed a fellow officer. Lieutenant Colonel David Oliva, the highly decorated leader of a special task force in the Campo de Gibraltar, is accused of recruiting a fellow officer to be his mole. The former head of OCONSouth dangled a position in his crack unit to the officer in exchange for spying into an internal investigation into Oliva’s relationships with the region’s drug trafficking groups.
Rumours
set up bogus firms in order to benefit from a Brussels subsidy of €450,000 per company. The millions of euros in EU funds were then snaffled up and spent on coke for himself and Guerrero, who had awarded him the cash, as well as purchasing land and building a house. He also spent €70,000 on paintings, watches, a piano, clothes and mobile phones. “I continue to admit my guilt,” Trujillo previously told the court, after avoiding jail when an official judicial investigation into the scandal concluded six years ago.
The investigation sprang up in response to rumours that Oliva had attended a party thrown by the drug gangs he was supposed to be fighting. OCON-South was abruptly disbanded in 2022 by Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska. The elite group of around 150 agents were stationed in the Port of Algeciras and had enjoyed great success in staunching the flow of drugs into Cadiz. However, three months after the outfit was disbanded in September 2022, Oliva’s mole - identified as JABP - was arrested.
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February 21st - March 5th 2024
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Zorra in the dog house A FEMINIST association has collected more than 1,500 signatures in a bid to cancel Spain’s controversial Eurovision entry, Zorra. The song from Alicante duo Nebulossa was chosen as the winning entry at this year’s Benidorm Fest. Zorra, however, has caused controversy due to its lyrics and its title, which means ‘vixen’ in Spanish but can also be used as an insult similar to ‘bitch’.
In response, the MFM Madrid feminist movement has launched a petition about a song that it claims ‘represents a sexist insult and is a trivialisation of violence against women’. For its part, the band Nebulossa (pictured) has defended its song. “The word zorra is going to start to be seen in a different way,” said singer Mery Bas. “People say it freely, we have totally redefined it,” she added.
DOUBLE FAULT
Rafa Nadal in hot water after criticising equal pay for men and women in the world of sports RAFAEL Nadal has sparked a backlash after doubling down on his belief that women in sports should not automatically be paid the same as men. The Grand Slam champion, 37, was talking to La Sexta presenter Ana Pastor to discuss the opening of his new tennis academy in Malaga. However questions soon turned to recent controversial topics, including his collaboration with Saudi Arabia and his thoughts on the gender pay gap in sports. Pastor told Nadal that he seemed ‘uncomfortable’ at
By Laurence Dollimore
the mention of feminism. The Mallorca native - who has won €125.2 million in his career - has previously said he is against women and men being paid the same in tennis. Nadal told Pastor: “Not at all, what I am not is a hypocrite to say that these things are easy, and I don't think they are. “Investment? The same for men and women. Opportunities? The same. The same salaries? No, for what? “What is unfair is that there are not equal oppor-
POWERING IN tunities. If you're saying that being a feminist is believing that a man and a
TREND SE TTER HE is more used to wearing Armani, but now famously elegant actor Luke Evans (far left) will be able to show off his own line of clothes. The Welsh star and his Spanish boyfriend Fran Tomas (left) have teamed up with stylist Christopher Brown to launch a menswear brand called BDXY. It will feature outfits inspired by the screen legends of Old Hollywood, concentrating on basics and everyday essentials. Evans, who is the star of major movies such as The Hobbit, Beauty and the Beast and Fast & Furious 6 confirmed his relationship with Tomas back in December 2020. Tomas, who is originally from Alicante, works as a project manager in the construction sector.
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woman deserve exactly the same opportunities, then I can say that I am a feminist. “But equality for me is not based on awarding for awarding’s sake, equality resides in if Serena Williams generates more than me, I want Serena to earn more than me.” Williams is the leading woman having won €88.2 million in her career. Some users of X blasted Nadal’s comments as machismo, or sexism, while others backed him, with one writing: “It’s not fair that someone who generates more sales from tickets and t-shirts earns the same as someone who generates much less.”
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FANS of legendary Australian rock band AC/DC are in for a treat later this year, when the group pays a visit to Spain. As part of their Power Up European Tour 2024, the authors of Thunderstruck and Highway to Hell have chosen Sevilla for their only Spanish date on May 29 at the Estadio de la Cartuja Vocalist Brian Johnson will be on the mic, with guitarists Angus Young, Stevie Young and drummer Matt Laug. New bassist Chris Chaney will be taking over from original band member Cliff Williams. The tour will kick off on May 17 with gigs in Germany and Italy, before the Spain concert on May 29. The band will then travel to the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, England, Slovakia, Belgium, France and Ireland.
On the prowl A PAIR of Sri Lankan leopards called Uda and Okanda have a new home at Bioparc Fuengirola after transferring there from French zoos. The Sri Lankan leopard is in danger of becoming extinct, with less than 800 left in the jungle. Numbers have fallen due to poaching and the destruction of their natural habitat, namely rainforests.
NEWS
4 www.theolivepress.es Free things up THE leader of the PP party in Malaga has called on Madrid to suspend fees on the Costa del Sol’s toll road ‘until the coast has a proper train network’. Patricia Navarro insists the inland AP-7 motorway would be a great way to alleviate traffic congestion until the train network reaches Marbella and Estepona. She has been joined by expat councillor, Scott Marshall, at Benahavis town hall, who told the Olive Press, the ‘number one priority’ is getting a train line from Malaga.
Ignored
The tourist chief at Andalucia’s wealthiest town hall said: “I really hope Madrid listens to us. In terms of sustainability it is vital.” His colleague Navarro, speaking on TV, also demanded that the train network extend from Almeria to Algeciras, linking the entire Costa del Sol. It currently only links Malaga with Fuengirola, a 20-minute journey. Her comments came as Spain’s Transport Secretary, Jose Antonio Santano, fuelled anger by suggesting much more data is needed to decide whether the ‘complicated’ extension of the network is ‘necessary’. Navarro insisted this week that Santano’s comments were worthy of resignation, saying: “Malaga is being ignored.”
February 21st - March 5th 2024
MALAYA MANSION
EVER dreamed of hosting a bullfight at your own home? For the average expat, the answer is likely a resounding no. But for the few budding toreros among you, that dream could become a reality thanks to a once-in-a-lifetime property listing. The Olive Press can reveal that the incredible former
Corrupt politician’s estate with a bullring, helicopter pad and game reserve goes up for sale estate of one of Marbella’s most corrupt ever officials has just gone up for sale in southern Spain for €6.95m. The sweeping La Morisca finca was the pride and joy
FAR-WRONG
VOX politicians in Marbella have called on the local council to remove educational guides from their website aimed at helping the region’s young LGBT+ people. In a proposal to Marbella City Council, Vox’s local branch, represented by councillor and spokesperson Eugenio Malto, claim that new documents available on the municipality’s website ‘promote gender ideology and LGBT thinking among children’. Representatives from the far-right political party are lobbying for the new materials, three downloadable manuals called ‘training capsules’, to be removed from the website after they were recently added. The three documents are called: Embracing diversity as an educa- tional opportunity, In my classroom there is sexual diversity, and How to prevent school failure due to sexual or gender identity.
EXCLUSIVE By Laurence Dollimore
of disgraced urban planning boss Juan Antonio Roca, who was convicted of being the ringleader of the infamous Malaya plot. The scheme saw 53 officials across dozens of Andalucian towns tried for embezzlement of public funds, breaches of trust, influence peddling and more between 1991 and 2006. Roca, 71, is said to have amassed a fortune of at least €125m and even had a priceless Joan Miro painting above his toilet. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison but only served 12 thanks to his ‘model behaviour’ behind bars, and was released in February 2019. Now his stunning estate,
LAVISH MANSION: that was once owned by Juan Roca has its own bullring
‘Traitor’ assassinated A RUSSIAN pilot who was assassinated in a car park in Alicante has been branded a ‘traitor’ and a ‘moral corpse’ by Vladimir Putin’s Foreign Intelligence Service. Maxim Kuzminov, 28, was found
available now and we expect it to gather a lot of interest.” It boasts a bullring, helicopter landing pad and three separate living quarters. Nestled in the picturesque Jimena de la Frontera in Cadiz, there is also a small game reserve among the property’s 363 hectares. The finca measures 1,385sqm and is spread across one floor, made up of the main “This traitor and criminal became house, a sepa moral corpse the moment he arate apartplanned his dirty and terrible crime,” ment and a said FSB director Sergey Naryshkin. gate house. Kuzminov defected to Ukraine last There is also summer when he landed a Russian a chapel for chopper in his former enemy’s territhose who tory, bringing secret documents and wish to conintel with him. fess their sins.
which was seized by the authorities, is being sold by Lucas Fox Properties on behalf of an investment fund. It was previously listed back in 2020 with an asking price of €4m, meaning its value has increased by just shy of €3m over the past four years. A spokesperson told the Olive Press: “The property is
shot dead in Villajoyosa last week, just metres below tourist apartments on the Costa Blanca. The death, if found to be ordered by Russia, would be an unprecedented attack carried out on Spanish soil.
NEWS
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THE much-loved founder of the Brexpats in Spain support group Anne Hernandez has died. Tributes have poured in for the ‘tireless’ campaigner following her death from a short illness. Anne worked tirelessly to help the hundreds of thousands of Brits whose lives were upended by the Brexit vote, for which
RIP ANNE
she was awarded an MBE in 2021. She worked closely with the Olive Press in recent years, and even wrote a column for us for a time. Publisher Jon Clarke said: “Anne was tireless in her work
February 21st March 5th 2024
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and a true inspiration to the expat community. “We worked very hard together to campaign against Brexit from Spain, and I always admired her tenacity. “Despite not getting the result either of us wanted, Anne dedicated years to helping Brits deal with the fallout. My condolences to Anne’s friends and family.”
Dumped on!
THE owner of a tourist shop that suddenly collapsed has said it was a ‘miracle’ she wasn’t killed. Souvenirs Estepona, a family-run business, caved in after the building’s foundations were breached by sewage treatment work. “By a miracle I came out alive” explained Claudia Rodriguez Moreno. “I managed to get out by jumping into the scoop of a digger the workers brought up for me. “Still no high-ranking official
Shop owner slams ‘shameful’ town hall after she is almost killed when her building collapsed into the sewers
median, who was on holiday in Estepona at SAGGING: The popular the time, told the Olive shop collapsed with the has given me answers. What a Press: “The building owner inside shameful council,” she added. collapsed right in front The bizarre collapse, which of our eyes. left the building sagging into “We couldn’t believe the ground, shocked tourists it. It had been really silent could drive his digger into the at the popular resort. then everyone involved in the shop and scoop her up.” Billy Pearce, a British co- works began to run, shouting “She was obviously crying, at each other in horror”, but somehow walked out of there alive. It could have been he said. He also witnessed Clau- a completely different story”, dia’s attempts to escape he said. No injuries were reported the rubble. THE ‘Princess of Marbella’ Ira von Fürstenberg has died aged 83. “The realisation that following the collapse, which The aristocratic actress passed away on Sunday in her home in Rome. people were inside hit was caused by local water In 1954, Ira and her husband Alfonso Hohenlohe-Langenburg estabhard”, he continued. works, with workers from lished the Marbella Club, the luxurious hotel that put the city at the “There was a huge emp- contractors IOTE admitting forefront of the ‘Jet Set’ scene. ty trench in front of the to the Olive Press that it was After just six years of marriage, she controversially left, starting a shop and the lady who due to ‘human error’. romance with Italian-Brazilian playboy Francisco ‘Baby’ Pignatari, a owned it couldn’t get Souvenirs Estepona, which businessman Ira labeled as the love of her life. Their marriage lasted was nine years old, has since out. for four years. “Luckily a workman been demolished completely. By Ben Pawlowski
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NEWS FEATURE
www.theolivepress.es Voted top expat paper in Spain
A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than two million people a month.
OPINION In the dock YOU trust them to look after your best interests - especially when large amounts of money are involved. Lawyers are the first port of call when buying a property - especially if you do not speak the language or know the system. As our front page story (Stitch up) shows, retired estate agent John Stephenson, 75, and wife Kathy, 78, did everything right when they bought their property - at least they thought they did. They put their faith in lawyer Rafael Arevalo to navigate them through the sometimes choppy waters of buying a house. They thought all the proper searches were completed - the most important of which was to ensure there was no outstanding debt on their dream home when they bought it. All seemed well until 10 years later when they sold up to help finance their retirement. It was only then they were stung with an €11,200 bill for past IBI taxes that really should have nothing to do with them. They have had no option but to pay up. But what of their lawyer at the time of the sale? Arevalo should be held responsible for the mess they are in and his insurance should pay up for his oversight. After all it was literally his job to make sure they would not have any nasty surprises. Or - and here comes that phrase again - so they thought. It turns out that in all the documents, he signed as a ‘witness’ not as a legal representative. So, they hired a lawyer, he did the paperwork, but it is now claimed he was never actually representing them legally. And - as is so often the case with incompetent lawyers he is now nowhere to be found. And then there’s the lawyer today. As other lawyers consulted by this newspaper have suggested, Alvaro Moreno should have done more to contest the clearly unfair IBI payment. It is a story we at the Olive Press have heard time after time. ‘Professionals’ who expats trust are too often incompetent at best, corrupt at worst and never seem to face the music. Well they should be made to, in the dock if necessary.
PUBLISHER / EDITOR
Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es
Simon Hunter simon@theolivepress.es
Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es
Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es
Yzabelle Bostyn yzabelle@theolivepress.es
John Culatto
Ben Pawlowski ben@theolivepress.es
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AWARDS
2016 - 2020 Best expat paper in Spain
2020 Google News Initiative gives the Olive Press a substantial grant.
2012 - 2023 Best English language publication in Andalucia
CRACKDOWN ON NOLOTIL
‘If he hadn’t gone to Spain he could still be alive’: British family of ‘first known Nolotil victim’ speaks out
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HE British family of the first suspected Nolotil victim in Spain LIVING THE DREAM: but sadly James’s (left) KILL have recalled their heartbreaktime was cruelly cut short THE ing experience amid a growing DRUG campaign to crackdown on the ‘lethal’ painkiller. When James Hanley, 72, decided to move to Spain in 2016, he was dreaming of retirement in the sun. But within a year he would be dead, after taking Nolotil to numb his pain following successful cancer treatment. His story would go on to serve as a leading case study for a campaign to ban the drug, launched by medical legal expert Cristina del Campo. James, a former ferry steward, ‘had very good friends in Spain’ and went to visit them often before deciding to leave Ipswich in search of the expat dream. His nephew, Daniel Preston, told the Olive Press: “He embraced it and Just months iel. threw himself into the local into his retire- But at the service, he reunited with Cristina community.” ment dream, the ‘bubbly’ expat, received del Campo, a medical translator who was James was ‘living his best life’ in Javea, Ali- the shocking news he was suffering from ‘adamant’ that something wasn’t right with cante, getting a ‘nice’ apartment, adopting a rectal cancer. James’s case. stray cat and enjoying local restaurants. After removing the tumour, James was given She said: “After James died they told me he Nolotil, also known as Metam- also had sepsis amongst other things, I had izol, to combat the pain of his heard that word recently, in relation to the death of an Irish woman. cancer treatment. All seemed well, until just days “I started looking into it and I began to see a pattern, everyone who died had taken Nolotil. later ‘he couldn’t breathe’. Back in the UK, concerned Many had sepsis and Fournier Gangrene.” It is thought the drug reducfamily members es patients’ white blood cell Our postbag has been full since we urged James leaving them vulnerato see a doctor After James’s count, revealed the Nolotil scandal ble to infection. and he was imThe condition, known as funeral the mediately hosGreat campaign! agranulocytosis, is believed pitalised. family began to be a result of genetic differDaniel flew to AlI AM really pleased you are campaigning for the ences in Northern European icante ‘not really to question his banning of Nolotil. populations. sure’ what was When I had a hip replacement operation at IMED untimely death Cristina has now been fighting wrong with his in Benidorm in 2019, this was put in my drip bag against Nolotil for the past sevuncle. until I noticed, then told them to replace it. en years with her campaign The rapidly proI then contracted an infection in the hip, which gressing illness was soon re- group the Association for Drug Affected Peotook about two years to be eradicated but, obvivealed to be a form of sepsis ple (ADAF). ously, I have no specific knowledge that it was beknown as Fournier Gangrene, It aims to compel health workers to stick to cause of the Nolotil. an aggressive, flesh-eating a 2018 directive which restricted the preSince then every time I go into a hospital or health scription of Nolotil for ‘short term use’, with disease. centre, I tell them that I am allergic to Nolotil but “I remember at one point the ‘significant consideration’ of patients’ backvery few note it on my records, so I have to be very bedsheets fell away and ex- grounds, including genetic vulnerability to aware in situations where it might be used. posed his body. It was horrific, dangerous side effects. Similarly, for Ibuprofen, as I am on Lixiana, this flesh eating bug had ripped When asked for comment, one company that a blood thinner. That has to be closely monthrough his body and was eat- supplies metamizole in Spain, Boehringer itored too! Ingelheim, said: “Agranulocystosis is a very ing away at him,” Daniel said. John Price “It was clear to me that there rare, adverse reaction that has been decades and is well-dewas no stopping it, it was too ag- known for Editor’s note: Keep taking care! As a clarthe medicine package gressive. And sure enough, we scribed in ification, we are not calling for Nolotil information.” went home due to to be banned, but rather that the official work commitments guidance be followed and Nolotil not be and a few days latprescribed to Northern Europeans. er he was gone,” said Daniel. For James’s sisDr’s advice ter, Bridget, the news came as a I WAS prescribed Nolotil 575mg capsules terrible shock. Sign our petition to urg in June this year. But when I spoke to my e healthcare The care worker, providers to stop giving husband’s doctor in the hospital she told the ‘lethal’ painkiller who stayed in Esto northern Europeans me not to take them. sex due to a fear She explained they are not for British or THE Olive Press has launch of flying, said it Scandinavians, they are for Spanish people. healthcare providers to stop ed a petition to urge Spanish was ‘absolutely giving Nolotil to northern euSo I never took them, in fact I still have ropean patients. awful’ to not be them untouched. Also known as metamizole, able to be there Nolotil is a popular painkil in Spain. Mrs Carol Dundridge ler for her ‘beloved’ Ho we ver , it is known to cause agranulocy brother. tosis, or severely low white blood cell It wasn’t until No effect patients, leading to organ count, in northern European James’s funeral failu re, sepsis and gangrene. The drug has been linked that the family I SUFFERED extreme pain from a rib fracture and Irish people in Spain. to at least 40 deaths of British began to quesand was prescribed painkillers that had no Despite a 2018 informative tion his untimeeffect. The doctor at the Ciudad Patricia care Medicine Agency advisin note issued by the Spanish ly death. home then prescribed Nolotil. I took seven and administer the drug to norg medical professionals to not “We just thern europeans, people kee still had pain. However I am still alive, having dyi ng. p thought it was not suffered any apparent side effects. Yet still, rea der s contact us everyday say a really unforing they have I wonder if the fact that I am half Italian has been offered the drug. tunate case at made me immune to the severe side effects sufThat’s why we’ve launched first and we a cam paign urging medical fered by many expats. professionals to comply with didn’t think too Pamela Murphy If you agree that it should be the 2018 advice. much about tition, go to Change.org andfollowed, please sign our peit,” said Dansearch Stop Nolotil Deaths.
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Life F
OR Eva Perez, receiving the all-important phone call kickstarted a complicated mix of emotions. “You’re happy because your loved ones are celebrating that it’s your chance to continue to live and to follow your dreams, but at the same time you know there’s another family, somewhere else, who are crying,” she explains from her home in Madrid. It’s a confusing mish-mash of feelings - fear, hope, happiness, grief, responsibility - that Eva, now 55, knows all too well. She was aged just 11 when doctors discovered she was suffering from hepatitis, inflammation of the liver, which required extensive treatment and medication. But then liver transplants didn’t exist in Spain and, even when they did get introduced in 1984, they were highly experimental and dangerous. Indeed, it wasn’t until 11 years later in 1995 when Eva was finally offered the life-saving surgery. It went well and two years on, she was pregnant with her son, Fernando. But she had to stop taking the medication which would have had damaging effects on the foetus and, as a result her new liver was rejected and she needed to go under the knife once more in December 1997.
Lucky
She was incredibly lucky, with a donor available within two months of giving birth: “I felt incredibly fortunate, because getting a transplant is not like buying something from El Corte Ingles. “You can have all the technology in the world but the entire process is dependent on a family experiencing the worst moment of their lives, but agreeing to give life to someone else”. However, for this she is eternally grateful. “The first family gave me life, the second gave me life with my son”, she explained. Eva is one of tens of thousands of Spaniards who have benefited from the selflessness of grieving families. She is also one of many to have benefited from Spain’s famous organ donation and transplant model, widely regarded as the best in the world. An incredible 5,861 organ transplants took place in Spain last year, meaning the country topped the global list for a record 3 2 n d consecutive year. O n e in four donors within E u ro p e and 5%
February 21st - March 5th 2024
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SAVERS
Ben Pawlowski discovers why Spain has been the world leader for life-saving organ transplants for 32-years
REACHING FOR THE SKY: Scaling Acatenago in Guatemala
CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN
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MEET THE OP TEAM
zabelle Bostyn’s career in journalism began during the Coronavirus pandemic, when trapped in a cramped flat with a Peruvian family she had just met, she turned to a local journalist for help. She felt first hand how journalism can help people when just a few weeks later, she found herself on a chartered flight home courtesy of the UK government. Arriving back at the University of Sheffield, she began writing for student newspapers such as The Tab and UniFresher, where she worked her way up to Sheffield Editor. After finishing her degree in English Literature and Hispanic Studies, she enrolled in the university’s prestigious journalism MA. While studying for her masters she developed a love for journalism, frequently being published in local papers. Once she finished her degree, she worked in marketing before setting off an epic trip around Latin America. From Mexico to Colombia, she chronicled her travels on her blog, cementing her love for travel writing.
Perfect fit
BLESSED: Eva has had two liver transplants of ALL donors worldwide are Spanish, with over 140,000 transplants successfully completed since records began. study from Diaz and his colBut why has the Spanish model leagues found over 90% of Anhad such success and longevity? dalucians were supportive of the According to Gonzalo Diaz, a system, whilst almost three-quarresearcher at the University of ters want their organs to be doGranada several factors come nated after death. into play. In 1989, the Spanish Health “The opt-out system is one of the Ministry created the National fundamental pillars of the Span- Transplant Organisation (ONT), ish system - unlike other coun- an agency in charge of the coorditries, in Spain you are an organ nation and oversight of donation, donor automatically, unless you procurement, and transplantaopt-out of the system”, he ex- tion activities. plained. Diaz believes that the organiThe opt-out system is the antith- sation’s ‘magnificent’ work has esis of the opt-in been integral to system, whereby Spain’s success. potential donors “Their capacity to The opt-out have to explicitly explain the imporsystem is a state their desire tance of donation to have their oris incredibly effecfundamental gans used after tive”, he said. death. A 2017 study pillar of the The success of the published in the system has seen Spanish system American Journal other counof Transplantation tries, such likewise highlightas the UK, adapt the pol- ed the importance of the ONT, icy in hope of replicating claiming Spain benefits from ‘a Spain’s model, which specific organisational approach has a world-leading do- to ensure the systematic identifination rate of 48.9 do- cation of donation opportunities’, nors per million people. whilst simultaneously ‘promoting However, for Diaz, there public support’ for donating orare other vital cogs gans after death. to the success- And the model continues to flourful policy: “It ish, with 2023 seeing a 9% rise in really helps the number of organ transplants having the conducted in the country. high levels Beatriz Dominguez-Gil, head of of support the ONT, explained to the Olive and confi- Press that the increase could only dence the have been possible ‘thanks to the p o p u l a - constant search for new ways to tion has increase donation and transplant for the activity’. n a t i o n a l “It ensures that one day in the transplant future, this incredibly complex and medi- medical procedure will be availcal system.” able for every single patient that A recent needs it,” she added.
BOSS: Beatriz is the head of Spain’s transplant body Despite the success of the Spanish model, 4,790 patients remain on the waiting list, a number of whom will either die while waiting, or be removed from the list as they become too ill. Discussing how Spain can continue to improve its model, Diaz continued: “I believe that addressing new technological challenges within the sector, maintaining high levels of training for medical professionals, and continuing to be transparent and honest towards the general public will be key”. Nevertheless, Spain’s carefully nurtured model continues to be the best in the world. For Eva, who today works as the President of the National Federation of Liver Transplants, her opinion is definite. “It is clear in my mind that if I had not been born in Spain, I would not be here today”.
She loved scaling volcanoes in Guatemala, finding the best vegan ceviche in Mexico and swimming with sharks in Belize. Tragically, her trip was cut short by news that her Nana had terminal throat cancer, so she left the backpacker life to care for her. Her grandma’s death brought life into sharp focus for Yzabelle’s family and she made the decision to pursue her longtime goal of returning to Spain. She had firm links with the country, having lived in Barcelona as part of her year abroad and visited her family’s Alpujarran holiday home every summer for 16 years. When she found the Olive Press, it seemed like a perfect fit, a place where she could perfect her Spanish and work as a journalist. She has now settled in Estepona, where she is a proud member of the local Ulplaying in the DISCWORLD: Yzabelle with Volaores timate Frisbee team. Spanish championships
The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are:
rain’ is coming to Spain: New DANA 1- ‘BloodwillAndalucia bring the weather phenomenon to and beyond this week
British expat and urbanisation 2- PICTURED: president who ‘paid himself more than the deputy PM of SPAIN’ will happen to Spain’s property market 3-inWhat 2024? Expert Mark Stucklin gives his verdict Why Brits staying with friends or family in 4-Spain should consider carrying THIS document Farmer strikes in Spain: Chaos to continue 5- today with tractors blocking roads and ports from Malaga to Barcelona and Valencia
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Costly period SPAIN'S drought - especially last April - has made it onto the list of last year’s most expensive global climate disasters. The unseasonal spring drought appears in ninth place in the Counting the Cost 2023 report, published by the UK charity Christian Aid. The study analyses the 20 costliest extreme weather events of the year, using the global database of natural disasters (EM-DAT), and calculates the cost per head. It values the damage caused by the drought in just April at almost €2.2 billion - coming to €45 per head in the country. April is normally the fourth rainiest month of the year and coincides with the growing period of most crops.
GREEN
SOMETHING FISHY ECOLOGISTS have launched an investigation after thousands of dead fish were discovered on the shores of Estepona The ‘immature dead fish’
OP QUICK CROSSWORD Across 7 Metrically, about 1,340 horsepower (8) 8 Comply (4) 9 Stretch (3) 10 Having considerable worth (8) 11 Car stores (7) 14 Wash (5) 15 Courageous (5) 17 Official sitting (7) 21 He’s off, or out at sea (8) 22 Nickname for Margaret (3) 23 The Great ---, constellation (4) 24 Man-to-man, in basketball (3-2-3) Down 1 “Conventional” city? (6) 2 Venture (4) 3 Immature insects (6) 4 Motionless (5) 5 Currently (8) 6 Investment goal broke the law (6) 12 Gurus (8) 13 MI6 (1,1,1) 16 Fill the tank again (6) 18 Cricket team (6) 19 Keyboard instruments (6) 20 Boarded (3,2) 22 Window division (4)
OP SUDOKU
February 21st - March 5th 2024
All solutions are on page 10
By Yzabelle Bostyn
washed up on the La Rada beach, considered a Special Conservation Zone (ZEC) by the European Union. Now, a local ecology group, Ecologistas Sierra Bermeja, has demanded explanations for the ‘mass death’. The green activists lamented the situation in an Instagram post, saying the carcasses were strewn ‘all over the beach, from one end to the other’ with many ‘even in the waves’. It follows a similar occurrence in Fuengirola, lead-
Investigation launched after thousands of dead fish washed up
FOR HEAVEN’S HAKE: Ecologists are demanding answers
ing the ecologists to question whether they were the result of a spill or ‘the surplus from a fishing boat’. They also speculated that the deaths could have been
GREEN DELIVERY THE Spanish postal service has managed to cut down its CO2 emissions in Andalucia by 215 tonnes annually with a new fleet of electric vehicles. The province of Malaga and the Costa del Sol accounted for nearly a quarter of the region’s total, knocking 54 tonnes off Correos’ annual output of greenhouse gases - beaten only by Sevilla (58 tonnes). The duo were trailed by Cadiz (33.14 tonnes), Cordoba (31 tonnes), Granada (19 tonnes), Almeria (9.47 tonnes), Jaen (7.07 tonnes) and Huelva (3.23 tonnes). Correos’ green fleet in Andalucia comprises 400 electric vans, micro-hybrid vans, electric and hybrid cars, and electric motorcycles.
REPSOL has started generating electricity at its 204MW Sigma solar project in Andalucia - its first renewable venture in the region. The project in Jerez de la Frontera includes five individual solar plants, which have now been connected to the grid and are in their commissioning phase. Together they will generate 430GWh of renewable energy annually, sufficient to power 43,000 households
caused by a nearby wind farm. However, they disputed claims that the fish had been killed by predators. They have also urged authorities to take ‘responsibility’ and impose ‘relevant sanctions.’ Last year, a similar incident occurred in the Guadalhorce river, Malaga. The Junta estimated some 350 fish perished after becoming trapped in a basin. Over a period of a few days, sediment build up deprived them of oxygen. Mass death events have also blighted the Mar Menor in Murcia with several instances of tons of sea creatures in the lagoon being washed ashore. Scientists blame nitrates seeping in from nearby farms. This encourages algae growth, which sucks all the oxygen from the water, killing fish and other wildlife.
Powered up while removing 191,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. The Sigma project was built with an investment of €150 million and created 500 jobs during its construction phase. It is Repsol’s third solar farm in Spain, adding to sites in the Ciudad Real and Badajoz areas.
LA CULTURA
February 21st March 5th 2024
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OH MY GOD! K
A GAY white Jesus and a Roman orgy. That’s the verdict of some furious locals after seeing the posters for two hugely traditional festivals in Spain this year. The first poster is for Semana Santa in Sevilla, which shows a scantily clad Son of God wearing just a crown and a piece of cloth covering his manhood, which is tied around his waist by a rope. Since it was posted on Instagram last month, it has caused a huge backlash on social media, with some comparing the Jesus to a ‘gay man taking a gym selfie’. Others commented that he was far ‘too white’ for a man who would have been born in the
Posters for religious events in Spain cause outrage for being ‘too sexual’ By Laurence Dollimore
Middle East. However the artist behind the poster, Salustino Garcia, said if someone sees something dirty in his painting, it is ‘his own internal dirt that he is projecting onto the image’. It comes as more than 10,000 people have signed a petition on change.org to remove the image as the official Holy Week poster in Sevilla. Garcia added in an interview: “He is very white? Like all Euro-
Junior delight SPAIN'S national public broadcaster RTVE will host this year's Junior Eurovision Song Contest for the first time. The country won the second-ever competition in 2004 and came second in Nice last year. The host city and dates for the 2024 event will be announced in due course. The Valencian government has already told RTVE that the region would like to be considered as a host. It already has the annual Benidorm Fest to pick Spain’s entry for the senior event. Martin Osterdahl, the EBU’s JESC Executive Supervisor said: “20 years after their Junior Eurovision Song Contest win, we’re thrilled to finally bring the Contest to Spain.
pean Christs, all Gothic Christs. That he is half naked? Like all the crucified and resurrected Christs of Spain and Europe.” The second controversial poster is for the Carnival OUTRAGE: in Molins de More than Rei, Catalu10,000 nya, a tradipeople have tional weeksigned a long festival petition which celeagainst the brates Dijous image Llarder (Fat Thursday) on the first day, ushering in ‘six days of excess and fun’ before finishing on Ash Wednesday. Although it seems the artist for the promotional material this year focused a little too much on the ‘excess’ - with the image of more than a dozen intertwined nude and semi-nude bodies being deemed ‘inappropriate’ by locals. “It looks like a Roman orgy,” one woman told Spanish newspaper Metropoli.
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LA CULTURA
February 21st - March 5th 2024
Picture this
Visiting Madrid’s iconic Prado museum? Here are seven mustsee paintings bound to make your jaw drop
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ITH over two and a half million visitors a year, the Prado Museum is the beating heart of Madrid’s rich cultural tradition. Renowned artists such as Goya, Velázquez and El Greco feature prominently in an exhibition of the Spanish monarchy’s magnificent personal
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By Ben Pawlowski
collection. But with over 8,600 paintings, navigating the Prado can often be a tricky task. Here is a guide to seven paintings, a mix of the unmissable classics and hidden gems, that will be sure to make any visit an enjoyable one.
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Olympus. The Battle of the Giants (1767-68) Francisco Bayeu - Room 089 Taught under the same school as Goya, Bayeu’s frescoes are littered across every corner of the Prado. Depicting the Giants in efforts to conquer the home of the Gods on Mount Olympus and its defence by Jupiter, this canvas is
indicative of Bayeu’s fascination with grandiose scenes, often historical, mythological or religious in nature. The Prado also holds 20 sketches made by Bayeu in preparation for this particular piece.
Landscape with Saint Jerome (1516-17) Joachim Patinir - Room 055A A spectacular, awe-inspiring canvas, jagged rocks and treacherous cliffs catch the eye. But Patinir’s use of a horizon far in the distance allows him to develop the landscape of the land, filled with mountains, lakes, forests, grasslands, settlements and all manner of intricacies. Like Brueghel’s work, Patinir’s painting allows for an appreciation of the natural, typical of the Flemish renaissance.
OP Puzzle solutions Quick Crossword Across: 7 Megawatt, 8 Obey, 9 Eke, 10 Valuable, 11 Garages, 14 Bathe, 15 Brave, 17 Session, 21 Offshore, 22 Peg, 23 Bear, 24 One-on-one. Down: 1 Geneva, 2 Dare, 3 Larvae, 4 Still, 5 Nowadays, 6 Wealth, 12 Advisers, 13 S I S, 16 Refuel, 18 Eleven, 19 Organs, 20 Got on, 22 Pane.
Las Meninas (1656) Diego Velázquez Room 012 One of the most iconic paintings of all time, ‘Las Meninas’ by Spanish great Velázquez has long captured the imagination of art historians. Painted in his typically dramatic, baroque style, ‘Las Meninas’ represents a radical departure from traditional royal portraiture. To the left of the paintings stands Velázquez himself, whose playful use of perspective remains an inexhaustible mystery for those who seek to uncover its mystery.
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F
OR parents newly arrived in Spain navigating the Spanish education system can be a bit of a head-scratcher. Making sure they choose the right school is a test all parents want to pass with flying colours. But on the Costa del Sol, negotiating the interactive whiteboard jungle is an even tougher call, as you’ll be spoiled for choice. Of course, your selection will depend on certain key factors: distance from home, budget, academic standards, teaching style and wordof-mouth recommendations, to name just a few. So where do you start? The first item on your checklist should be Public or Private – do you opt for an international college or a Spanish state school? It’s generally an easier decision to make for younger children, as primary schools throughout Europe are more or less comparable. Around 8 0 % of ex-
Negotiating the Spanish education system can be a test for newly arrived parents on the Costa del Sol. But problem solved - we’ve done the homework for you pats send their children to local state schools – called colegios (primary schools) and institutos (secondary schools). There are two serious advantages to Spanish schools. One – children will learn Spanish fast and should integrate well into their new home country. Younger children, in general, thrive in state schools, with youngsters under nine normally picking up impressive spoken Spanish (usually, far better than their parents’ Spanish) within a year, just by socialising with their friends. Two – state schooling is free of charge from the age of three, when children can begin attending infantile or pre-escolar, equivalent to a nursery in the UK. The only costs you’ll have to cover are books, school trips and, if the school has them, uniforms. There are also downsides to Spanish schools. Older, less extrovert kids
with limited Spanish can have trouble adjusting. Learning maths and physics in a foreign idiom isn’t for sissies! It is definitely worth considering extra language tuition outside school hours to help ease the transition. Budget up to €20 per hour for private lessons. Your child will not only be more able to keep up with lessons but is far more likely to make friends if they can socialise in the same language. “It is fine if you get the kids into school early, at a young age, but if they are nine or 10 then they will find it harder,” advised one English parent whose two children have been through the local system in Manilva. “They will almost certainly need some extra tuition and watching carefully. It also helps if the parents get involved in the school and try to get to know the other Spanish parents. Joining the parents/teachers association certainly helps.” If you decide against the Spanish state system – either because you fear educational standards will be low (according to reports, Andalucia does indeed come well below average), or because you prefer to have your children educated in English – then you will have no choice but to go private. Budget is a major consideration but many expat parents say an international school gives their child a gentler introduction to education in a foreign
CHOICE: Selecting the right school is not always easy country, with smaller classes taught in English. Most international schools even follow a UK curriculum, with GCSE and A-levels, with a number of local schools regularly seeing their pupils getting into the top British universities, including Oxbridge. International schools have very different personalities and philosophies, and it’s very much a matter of personal preference. But with more than two dozen on the Costa del Sol alone, there are more than enough to choose from. Marbella – with more than 40,000 resident foreigners – has the largest concentration of international schools after Madrid and Barcelona. Malaga, Mijas, Fuengirola, Benalmadena, Estepona, Almunecar and Sotogrande
all have their own options. The rise of international schools in Spain can be traced back to former dictator General Franco, who introduced tourism to the Costa del Sol. Since then, a torrent of foreign visitors settling along the coast has turned it into a melting pot of cultures, providing endless opportunities for education start-ups. British schools are now said to account for two-thirds of the international schools on the coast, with other options including Swedish, German, Norwegian and American. The oldest is Swans International School, established in 1971, and named after its legendary headmisContinues on next page
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about
February 2024
From front page
Get to know the Spanish state school system
Make the right choice
There are four phases to the school system in Spain, below is an explanation of how it is structured: ● Educacion Infantil (Pre-school) - 3 to 5 years of age (inclusive, i.e. three years). This is optional. ● Educacion Primaria (Primary Education) - 6 to 11 years of age (six years). Compulsory. ● Educacion Secundaria Obligitoria or ESO (Compulsory Secondary Education) - 12 to 15 years of age (four years). ● Bachillerato (Post-Compulsory Schooling) - 16 and 17 years of age (two years). The Pre-school stage (infantil or popularly known as pre-escolar) is free for all children but not compulsory. However, it is regarded as an integral part of the education system with infants’ classes at almost every primary school. There are some separate nursery schools, colegios infantiles, also. The next two phases, primary (colegio) and secondary school (instituto) education are compulsory and free of charge. At the end of the ESO successful pupils are awarded a Secondary Education Certificate, which is necessary to enter the post-compulsory stage of schooling for their university or vocational studies. Alternatively they may leave school and get a job. Once pupils have their Bachillerato they can take their university entrance exam.
tress and founder, Tessa Swan. Others include Sotogrande – established in 1978 – and Aloha College, which dates back to 1982. A great advantage for many parents is that international schools often have a more multicultural environment than state schools. Most have some 20 different nationalities attending and offer a bilingual study programme. To tie in with this, many of the top schools are increasingly offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme, as well as the local secondary school qualification, the Bachillerato. The IB is the normal route to university for European stu● Find out about opening dents. or taster days As well as a ● If the students seem more up-tohappy, chances are your date, relaxed child will be happy too approach to ● Be clear about what teaching, inyou want from a school - do ternational lots of research schools are generally considered to offer a better learning environment. The most obvious downside, of course, is the cost. Schools range from basic to luxurious
Tips for choosing a new school ● Ignore the glossy brochures - go to the school and see for yourself ● Meet the head, meet the teachers, and meet the students ● Look at the exam results
but, take note, they come at a price. Fees range from €3,000 a year for primary school to between €6,000 and €17,000 per year for secondary schools. This generally does not include the cost of books, school trips or uniforms. A further downside is that children may find themselves in something of a Spanish vacuum, unable to integrate with the local community outside the classroom. But international schools are beginning to fight this effect, with many more Spanish extracurricular activities available, more access to local culture on school trips and after-hours classes such as flamenco dancing. There are no rulebooks or easy answers to choosing the right schools in Spain. It’s as much a personal choice as in any other country, whether your biggest consideration is cost, integration or a smoother transition. Just one final tip for parents who decide to go with the Spanish system: learn the language yourself. How else will you chat to your kids’ teachers at open days? And, more important for your kids than that, how will you help them with their homework!
THE BENALMÁDENA INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE
Nursery, Primary, Secondary and Sixth Form
tel: (+34) 952-561-666 www.bic-benal.com info@bic-benal.com
Where learning is a pleasure
Calle Catamaran s/n, Nueva Torrequebrada, Benalmádena Costa, Malaga, Spain
13 February 2024
University challenged SPAIN is absent from the list of the world’s top 100 universities, while only nine made it into the top 500. According to the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), the first entries from Spain are the University of Barcelona and the University of Granada, which come in the 201 to 300 band. Only the top 100 universities are given an individual ranking in the study, which identifies the best global higher educational institutions. Barcelona’s Autonomous and Pompeu Fabra universities; Madrid’s Autonomous and Complutense universities and the universities of Valencia are placed in the 301-400 bracket. The University of the Basque Country and Valencia’s Polytechnic University ranked between 401 and 500. The top five places went to Harvard, Stanford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge and California-Berkeley. In sixth place comes Princeton, while Oxford makes the top 10 at seventh/ Only two other countries make the top 20 with France’s Paris-Saclay coming in at 15th, while ETH in Switzerland comes in at 20th.
Lack of qualifications
OECD reveals that many Spanish youngsters drop out with no exams
SPAIN has some of the highest rates of students leaving secondary school without any exam qualifications. The figures come from the OECD, which has 38 member countries including the UK, France, Germany, and the United States. Its annual report on education says that 27% of Spain's population aged between 25 and 34 have not obtained
By Alex Trelinski
either the baccalaureate or a basic post-secondary professional certification. The split is worst among males, with 32% of them in the age group not having a qualification, falling to 21% for females. It means that 1.4 million young people in Spain have no professional qualifica-
ERASMUS WINNERS IT seems that the lure of sun, beer and Picasso is too much to resist for young people, as Spain is by far the most popular destination for Erasmus students. The land of tapas attracted 180,000 students from across the European Union to its educational institutions in 2022. This figure puts it far out ahead of second place Italy, whose charms only managed to attract 140,000. The Mediterranean powers are followed by Germany, France and Portugal in the top five for the European Commission’s student exchange program, according to official statistics. Spain also lays claim to the title of sending the leading number of Erasmus students abroad. Although in this case the numbers are neck-and-neck with Italy, at 125,000 each.
tion at all, and among these are many who do not even complete compulsory secondary education, known as ESO. Additionally, 17% are neither working nor studying, a rate that is worse only among OECD member states in Italy. These students may have become disillusioned with education early on. One of the reasons could be that Spain's school system is regarded as too rigid with a focus on passing exams, rather than more practical elements like gaining work experience. The OECD found that children who have high rates of pre-school enrolment do well in their early years of primary school with excellent test scores. That however starts to fall
IN THE RUNNING THREE teachers from Malaga have made the top 10 best teacher in Spain shortlist. Patricia Mercedes Santos Campos from the IES Professor Isidoro in Malaga will be hoping to make it a hat trick having previously been named Best Teacher in Spain in 2018 and 2021. Noemi Zambrana Dominguez from IES Arroyo de la Miel in Benalmadena is also on the list, as is Maria Garcia Viñolo from the Espacio Educativo Meraki in Churriana. All three were nominated for the Educa Abanca Awards by their pupils.
Upskilling Andalucia
after they have passed the age of 10, despite schools in Spain having around 7% more primary school teaching hours and 20% more in secondary school than the OECD average At age 16, a large section of the ‘middle’ drops out, with 50% of people going on to university or taking a professional qualification - just above the 47% OECD average.
THE Junta has announced it will create 103 new university degrees in the next four years. The courses are designed to push the region’s socioeconomic development and help provide students with better job opportunities post-graduation. They will address subjects such as information technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, health science, energy and environmental studies. The project included data from the region’s public universities, excluding the Universidad de Malaga, whose information will be incorporated later.
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Reciprocal deal DESPITE Brexit, students from the UK and Spain can still access universities in each other’s countries. Uncertainty after the UK’s withdrawal from the EU led to a formal agreement being struck to bring extra clarity to the situation. The accord enables students with UK qualifications (including A-levels and equivalent) to access universities in Spain without the requirement of additional entrance exams. Entry exams will only be required for certain competitive courses, as was the case prior to Brexit. Students from Spain can also continue to study at UK universities and other higher education institutions with the baccalaureate recognised for entry. The deal also established a framework to increase long-standing cooperation between the two countries over education. Prior to the agreement, students with qualifications obtained in the UK didn’t have their achievements recognised in Spain as a result of Brexit.
about
TEEN MOTIVATION
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EEPING your teen motivated through the school year can be a bit of a challenge - to put it mildly! But it is a challenge that the Spanish system seems to be tackling. In 1990 a startling 40% of kids dropped out before completing their secondary school education in Spain, according to Eurostat. But that figure has since plunged to 14%. But before the Spanish authorities get too complacent, it is worth pointing out that in the EU only Romania fares worse, with the EU average being around 10%. Here the Olive Press, speaks to two public school teachers about how to motivate teens and be involved in their education.
ANNA MORENO RODRÍGUEZ Teaches in Almanjáyar, Granada Anna is a mathematics teacher at the La Paz institute in Almanjáyar, Granada - a school classified as having ‘special difficulty’ because of social issues in its municipality. She has taught since 2006.
Teachers give advice on how to keep your kids engaged and studying at school She advises: “Motivation for teenagers is always difficult, especially after the holidays, as it’s difficult for them to return to work after lacking routine in the summer. “If there’s a good relationship with the students, more goals are achieved. When school returns, teachers try to present the content in an entertaining and fun way, by working on projects and using new methodologies and resources – both manual and digital.” Considering the age-old problem of kids bunking off school, she says: “We have some protocols where the families are notified first, but if this doesn’t work, they’re referred to social services.” Nobody wants the social services at their door – so how can parents avoid this? “Teachers can advise families on habits, study techniques, conflict resolution and emotional intelligence, but the key
thing is the involvement of the families in education and values at home. This is a problem today.” She thinks that some parents have lost sight of what’s happening with their kids’ schooling and should be more involved. She says: “Parents can constantly access the teaching and learning process, with face-to-face and telephone appointments and online messaging systems.” Anna added: “If a student needs to repeat a year, a personalised follow-up is carried out at our school so that they improve and meet the objectives. If they need to do better at something, the families are called. “To motivate a repeating student, you should make them see that doing a year again isn’t punishment, but that they must be more mature in their work.”
KIDS’ ADVICE FOR PARENTS – AVOID EMBARRASSMENT!
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EEN opinion on what not to do, if you want to be cool at school. Don’t let your primary school kid take odd and unnecessary items to school – such as gadgets that can be stolen or confiscated. Don’t do the school run in pyjamas. Always dress correctly and don’t turn up to collect your kids underdressed, like you’re going to the
beach. This is really embarrassing, especially if it’s not the summer. Avoid dressing your kids in anything that isn’t clean and tidy. Never let your child attend school in flip flops. Don’t park your vehicle directly outside the school gate, and then shout and gesticulate loudly at your kids when they are with their friends.
MOTIVATE HIM!: Or your teen may take after Kevin ELEUTERIO LEAL FIGUEROA Secondary teacher in Alcala la Real Eleuterio works in secondary schools, and baccalaureate, and currently teaches at the IES Alfonso XI in Alcala la Real, Jaen. She has been an English teacher since 2006. “It’s always difficult to motivate students, but after the holidays, it’s more difficult! Try to make them see the importance of doing well academically for their future work and motivate them daily. “With the parents, we try to make them see the importance of a good education for their children’s future and insist that they be constant. “The parents can access specific information about their children during the course, as well as exam grades, using tutoring systems (such as the iPasen mobile app).” “Try to convince the student that they must make an effort and work more to complete the course.”
A special four-page pullout
February 2024
www.theolivepress.es
Not far enough OPINION by Yzabelle Bostyn
PROGRESS: Spain’s gender equality ranking has improved since 2020
WHAT’S THE SCORE?
Spain ranks fourth in the EU Gender Equality Index and Yzabelle Bostyn explains why…
TIM
This category has also contributed to Spain’s fourth place position, increasing by 1.7 points since the 2020 index. The knowledge category surveys not only educational achievement but the segregation of men and women by subject studied. In Spain, women outnumber men in educational attainment, with 34% having degrees or their equivalent and 23% currently in vocational training. The figures for men are 32% and 21% respectively. Women also outnumber men in the fields of education, health and welfare, humanities and arts, representing almost half of university students. Although men represent just 25% of students in this area, other studies indicate they greatly outnumber women in STEM subjects, accounting for 65% of university students.
One of the areas where Spain performs the best, this category looks at women’s health, life expectancy, habits and access to services. While some 74% of Spanish men perceive their health to be ‘good’ or ‘very good’, compared to 69% of women, male life expectancy is some eight years lower than women’s, at 80 years. Despite this, both genders’ ‘healthy life’ years are equal, with men and women enjoying 63 years of good health. Perhaps this balance is due to the fact that although women stick to healthier habits, they have less time to spend exercising compared to men. Some 79% avoid tobacco and alcohol consumption compared to 69% of men. But only 38% of women take part in daily physical activity and eat sufficient fruits and vegetables, 11% fewer than their male counterparts.
WOR
Although Spain’s score may seem high, the country has actually dropped five places in the EU work ranking, now standing in 17th position. This category looks at equal access to employment and good working conditions as well as the quantity of women in full-time work and the length of their careers. Some 14% fewer women are employed in full time work compared to men, standing at 41% and 55% respectively. On the career prospects index, an EU wide indicator of job quality, prosperity and security, Spanish women score 56 compared to men’s 57. All of these statistics, though improved, indicate that women’s careers are affected by expectations to care for children. A recent study by Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE) showed some 24% of women aged 24-49 with children resort to part-time work in order to care for their children in comparison to 4.7% of men.
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75.4 /100
HEALT
70 /100
H
91.2 /100
This domain looks at women’s decision making power in political, social and economic spheres. Spain’s political equality has greatly advanced in recent years - women account for 48% of ministers, 42% members of parliament and 46% of regional assemblies. In the economic sphere, 37% of directors in Spain’s largest companies are women. Meanwhile, board members of Spain’s central bank are split 50/50. However, in the world of sports and TV, the story couldn’t be more different. Men represent 73% of decision makers in the country’s Olympic sports organisations and 60% in publicly owned broadcasters. In the domestic realm, women are still suffering the effects of gender stereotypes, which oblige them to sacrifice their free time and careers for their families.
81.1 /100
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ER OW
70.04 /100
Meanwhile, 70% of Spain’s childcare work absences were granted to women, showing that they often sacrifice time at work to care for their families.
OWLE KN
The improvement of the country’s time score (+6.4) has been one of the main drivers of Spain’s climb to fourth place. This category considers the amount of time women spend doing care, domestic work and social activities compared to men. Although Spain has improved in this area, women still carry the burden of care activities and domestic labour. Some 41% of women care for family members, elderly people or those with disabilities, compared to 33% of men. Meanwhile, 64% of women do cooking or household cleaning everyday, some 20% more than their male counterparts. When it comes to social, leisure and cultural
E
activities, the gender imbalance flips. Some 39% of Spanish men say they frequently take part in such activities, compared to just 33% of women.
DGE
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EMALE equality in Spain had a big year in 2023. In December, Spanish politicians approved an ‘Equal Representation’ Law designed to encourage gender parity in politics and business. It followed a landmark victory for the country’s menstrual leave law, which was the first in Europe to grant leave for women with painful periods. Despite all these laws, controversy surrounding women’s rights continues to sweep the country. While some 67% of women believe discrimination remains ‘quite large’ in the country, over 44% of Spanish men say equality has ‘gone too far’. So, how does Spain really perform when compared to other EU countries? The Olive Press investigates. With 76.4 points out of 100, Spain ranks fourth in the EU’s Gender Equality Index. 6.2 points above the EU average, the country has moved up two places in the ranking since 2020. The index is calculated based on a number of different indicators including time, knowledge, work, money, power and health. Each of these is given a score worked out using a variety of data, for instance, power takes into account the amount of female board members in high ranking companies. Although overall the country performs well in the GEI, it is still underperforming in various areas and is important to be aware of these, so where are Spanish women thriving and where are they struggling?
A STUDY released by the Spanish Sociological Research Institute hit the headlines after stating 44% of Spanish men believe ‘women’s equality has gone so far that it is now discriminating against men’. While 32% of women agreed, the majority, 67%, believe inequality remains ‘very’ or ‘quite’ large. In comparison, just 48% of men agreed with this statement. But why do Spanish men feel disenfranchised? Digging deeper into the data, we can see that they think women have better, or at least, equal opportunities in almost every aspect of life; from promotions at work to educational access. However, when the survey asked women, they reported that they felt their opportunities were ‘worse’. For instance, just 27% of men said women’s access to positions of political responsibility were ‘worse’ than men’s, compared to 47% of women. Responses like this follow recent advances in women’s rights in the country. In 2005, then prime minister Jose Zapatero, introduced some of the world’s most advanced gender equality laws. The move came after an Andalucian woman, Ana Orates was burnt alive in her own home by an abusive ex partner who she had spoken out against on television.
Advances
Since then, subsequent governments have also made strides towards equality. Most recently, Pedro Sanchez’s left wing coalition introduced a new ‘Equality Law’ designed to create equal access to positions of economic and political power. This, alongside other laws promoting equality for LGBTQ+ people, have sparked controversy across the country and ruffled feathers amongst the right wing. Many men are - wrongly - seeing these laws as advantages not offered to them. In fact, the so-called ‘discrimination’ many Spanish men claim to be facing is better described as the feeling of being threatened by the slow eradication of their privilege as men. Women are not getting ‘more rights’ but solutions for the sexism that persists in modern society. This becomes evident when we consider that almost 20% fewer men than women think inequality still exists in the country. It seems that while laws and legislation are making it seem women have more rights than men, the lived experience for women is very different. It is clear that Spanish women still experience high levels of sexism in their daily lives. In my personal experience, I am still warned not to walk home alone at night, have been verbally abused on dating apps and been catcalled while on my own balcony. Until women can live without fear, there is no doubt that inequality still exists. Unfortunately, it is unlikely the sexism that remains in Spanish society will be eradicated by laws. A much deeper social intervention is required to make meaningful change, which will not create the backlash this survey has uncovered.
I
WHAT’S THE HISTORY OF IWD? nternational Women’s Day (IWD) has been observed since the early 1900’s - a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies.
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A WOMAN’S INFLUENCE
1908 Great unrest and critical debate was occurring among women. Oppression and inequality was spurring women to become more vocal and active in campaigning for change. 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.
1910 A second International Conference of Working Women PIONEERING: New was held in Copenhagen. A woman named Clara Zetkin (Leader of the ‘Women’s Office’ for the Social Democratic York suffragettes Party in Germany) tabled the idea of an International Women’s Day every year on the same day in every country.
Queen Letizia is among the most influential women in Spain - but how many of the others do you know?
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HEN Forbes released its second list detailing Spain’s most influential women it highlighted Queen Letizia, Spain’s Women’s Football team and singer Rosalia. But the magazine’s list, designed to ‘celebrate women’s success and educate future generations’ is full of inspirational Spanish women most people don’t know about. Here we reveal some of the lesser known people honoured, as well as their more famous sisters…
1911 International Women’s Day was honoured for the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on March 19. More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women’s rights to work, vote, be trained, hold public office and end discrimination.
1913 LEADER: Clara Zetkin
1914
International Women’s Day was transferred to March 8 and this day has remained the global date ever since. In 1914 women across Europe held rallies to campaign against war and to express women’s solidarity. In London there was a march in support of women’s suffrage on March 8. Sylvia Pankhurst was arrested in front of Charing Cross station on her way to speak in Trafalgar Square.
1975 International Women’s Day was celebrated for the first time by the United Nations. Then in December 1977, the General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace to be observed on any day of the year by Member States, in accordance with their historical and national traditions. CUFFED: Pankhurst
1996 The UN adopted an annual theme in 1996 - ‘Celebrating the past, Planning for the Future’. This theme was followed in 1997 with ‘Women at the Peace table’, and in 1999 with ‘World Free of Violence Against Women.’
2000
POWER: UN backs IWD
By the new millennium, International Women’s Day activity around the world had stalled in many countries. The world had moved on and feminism wasn’t a popular topic. International Women’s Day needed re-ignition. There was urgent work to do - battles had not been won and gender parity had still not been achieved.
2001 The global internationalwomensday.com digital hub was launched to re-energise the day as an important platform to celebrate the successful achievements of women and to continue calls for accelerating gender parity.
2011 WEBSITE: For IWD
Saw the 100 year centenary of International Women’s Day. Barack Obama proclaimed March 2011 to be ‘Women’s History Month’, calling Americans to mark IWD by reflecting on ‘the extraordinary accomplishments of women’. Hillary Clinton launched the ‘100 Women Initiative: Empowering Women and Girls through International Exchanges’. In the UK celebrity activist Annie Lennox led a march across one of London’s iconic bridges raising awareness in support for global charity Women for Women International.
HELP: From Hillary
The world has witnessed a significant change in both women’s and society’s thoughts about women’s equality. Many from a younger generation may feel all the battles have been won, while many feminists from the 1970’s know only too well the ingrained complexity of patriarchy. With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women’s visibility as impressive role models in every aspect of life, one could think that women have gained true equality. The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women’s education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men. We do have female astronauts and prime ministers, women can work and have a family, women have real choices.
QUEEN LETIZIA OF SPAIN A journalist and divorcee, Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano has broken royal taboos as Queen of Spain. Before her coronation she was awarded the Madrid Press Association’s Larra Prize as the year’s most outstanding journalist under 30. As Queen she advocates for youth education, scientific research and greater awareness of rare diseases.
PIONEERING VOICES Spain’s early feminists and suffragettes
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PAIN at the end of the 19th century was undergoing a massive economic and social upheaval - and women wanted a piece of the action too. The country saw the emergence of a band of courageous feminists and suffragettes who fought for social, political, and economic justice. But it would be a long road before they were to get the vote - and in many ways they had to wait until the death of Franco in 1975 before the deep-set conservatism that kept women ‘in their place’ began to give way. This is a process that is still continuing with modern day women fighting their own battles. A wave of feminist thought had begun to take root in the late 19th century, with works like Emilia Pardo Bazan’s The Feminist Question (La Cuestion Feminista) published in 1892, serving as a catalyst for discussions on women’s rights, education, and equality. Another pioneering figure was Concepcion Arenal, whose writings and activism challenged traditional gender roles and advocated for women’s education and legal reforms. Her work was in many ways key to the growth of subsequent feminist movements in Spain. In 1918 - the same year as Germany agreed to extend the vote to women in time for the 1919 elections and women over 30 in the UK got the vote - the Asociacion Nacional de Mujeres Españolas (National Association of Spanish Women) was founded by Consuelo Gonzalez Ramos. It attracted leading figures including Clara Campoamor and Victoria Kent. Born in Madrid, Campoamor was one of the first women to enter Parliament in Spain and had a long history of feminism and campaigning for universal suffrage. During the 1931 elections women could not vote but
2024 MARCHING: Annie Lennox in London
By Yzabelle Bostyn
CAMPAIGNERS: Clara Campoamor (above) and Victoria Kent fought for women’s rights
GROUNDBREAKERS: Emilia Pardo Bazan (above) and Concepcion Arenal (right) they could stand to be MPs. Campoamor and fellow lawyer Victoria Kent were the only two women elected. Their work on the Constitutional Committee helped to enshrine the principle that women had the same rights as men in the Spanish Constitution of 1931 - with one glaring disagreement. Malaga-born Kent, as a member of the Radical Socialist Republican Party, felt that it was too soon to allow women the vote. Far left thought at the time was that women tended to be too conservative and in thrall to the Catholic Church and so would most likely vote right wing. Campoamor, a member of the Radical Party, saw it as a human rights issue and was instrumental in achieving universal suffrage for women in time for the 1933 elections after ‘winning’ a debate with Kent. During the Franco era women nominally retained the right to vote - although voter lists became restricted to ‘heads of households’, usually men. Campoamor and Kent had already shown herself to be an inspiration to women. They were the first two female members of the Madrid Law Association having both broken through a glass ceiling by entering university to study law. Campoamor went into exile during the Civil War and died in Lausanne (Switzerland) in 1972 at the age of 82. Kent too was exiled and died in New York aged 96 in 1987.
a, 1974) will be the first woman to hold the position of Director of rani de Barcelona. She is currently Director and Chief Curator of s well as Lecturer in Visual Cultures at Goldsmiths, University of PRINCESS LEONOR OF ASTURIAS he Thought Council, Fondazione Prada. She has previously been Heir to the Spanish throne (right), the 18-year-old has been making headlines recently whilst completingof the Contemporary military ernational Biennial Art; Curator of International training. Described as ‘loyal’ by Forbes, the princess was praised for her support n; Artistic Director Rencontres Picha - Lubumbashi Biennial, of the Spanish women’s sideof at the recent World Cup final. Leonor has studied the UK, attending private Congo;inschool Curator ofprestigious Contemporary Art at the Centro Andaluz de Arte UWC Atlantic College in Wales. ille; Senior Curator Creative Time in New York; and Curator of THE SPANISH WOMEN’Sat FOOTBALL TEAM celebrating the whole team, entro Although Atlántico de Arte Forbes highlighted the BalonModerno (CAAM) in Las Palmas, Gran
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February 2024
d’Or winner Ataina Bonmati (far right) and teammate Salma Parallelo, who was crowned the best player of the tournament. The team, who beat the English side 1-0 in the World Cup final last year also received the Spanish Royal Award for Sporting Merit.
e Consortium of the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona e committee of experts, which especially valued Elvira Dyangani ROSALÍA nnovative approach to the role of the Museum on the local and Infusing flamenco and pop, Rosalia (left) has conELENA ARZAK reaching agreements and her support for using corporating aquered clear desire the charts at hometo connect with contemporary In 2012, Basquedebates regional languages in government. In 2015, she and abroad, becoming the chef Elena Ar- became the first female leader of the Balearic first Spanish woman to apzak was crowned Islands whilst raising two children as a single beginning pear ofonthis century, without shying away firm the cover of Rolling ‘World’s from Best Fe- a mother. Stone USA. male Chef’ in the Her Motomami tour broke records, cover- World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards. SARA GARCÍA ALONSO sues surrounding cultural institutions’. ing 21 countries and 2 million attendees. Now, more than a decade later, she is as influ- The molecular biologist (below left) became the The Barcelona native’s logo has also appeared on her home team’s kit during the hotly contested El Clasico football match between Madrid and Barcelona.
ential as ever. Her three-Michelin-starred restaurants are known for their relaxed vibe where local families have dined for generations. She comes from a Spanish culinary dynasty, following in the footsteps of three generations of chefs. Her dishes are known for preserving Basque traditions whilst adding flavours inspired by cultures worldwide.
first Spanish woman to be selected for the European Space Agency reserve. Not only the first Spanish female astronaut, the scientist is also part of the National Cancer Research Centre and leads projects to find new drugs to fight lung and pancreatic cancer.
ELVIRA DYANGANI OSE Director of Barcelona modern art museum (left), the MACBA, the art historian proudly oversees a 90% female workforce. In 2022, the Turner Prize judge was included in ArtReview’s Power 100 list for her influence in the art world. FRANCINA ARMENGOL The President of the Spanish Congress, Francina Armengol is known for her tact in
GLORIA LOMANA The Executive President of 50&50 Gender Leadership, journalist Gloria Lomana (below right) is a pioneer in female leadership and communications. In 2019, she founded a communications consultancy focussed on equality and female leadership. She also pioneers leadership programmes for young women aged 15-18 and shares her insights in the national media. IRENE CANO Head of Meta for Spain and Portugal, Irene Cano is at the forefront of world changing technology. Under her leadership, Spain will become Europe’s first ‘metacountry’, a multinational centre for innovation and planning of the metaverse. ANA OBREGON In March this year, actress Ana Obregon (left middle) became the centre of a national controversy when she decided to become a mother using her dead son’s sperm at almost 70-years-old. The story shocked Spaniards. Following the controversy, Ana published a book her son had started writing before his death in 2020. The Boy with the Shrews went on to become a best seller and Ana a successful influencer.
KNOW WHERE YOU STAND W
Photo by Maureen Evans
presentatives HEN of setting the upinstitutions and members with a recognized a business in Spain Jennifer Cunrealised that the qualities she learnt Honesty and integrity nd local artisticningham sector: Joan Subirats, Mayor for Culture during her time in the Royal Air Force wouldDeputy stand are key to setting up of her in good stead. business - lessons There she learnt not to accept or lies, as well as gain- a of Ibar, Director General ofexcuses Cultural Heritage the Generalitat de ing an iron discipline, fearlessness, determination - and the learnt in the RAF by overwhelming of honesty and integrity. María Dolores president of theimportance Fundació MACBA; Jiménez-Blanco “Being in the RAF was one of the happiest times in my life expat business leader and where I had discipline instilled in me,” she tells the Olive or General Culture;Cunningham Chris Dercon, Press.of Fine Arts of the Ministry of Jennifer “As a result I don’t stand for any nonsense, but that also means people know where they stand with me, which Palais, is very SheParis, then began working with a giantof American company, of French National Museums, Grand and member important in business.” Liberty Insurance, designing special packages for the expat It was still anything but easy for her to set up her insurance market and has built up a reputation as a hugely successful mittee; João Fernandes, director the Instituto Moreira business on the costas threeartistic decades ago, when women ofexpat businesswoman.
were not taken seriously in business. “At the beginning they didn’t want to take me on and they felt “I was a widow, surviving on a meagre widow’s sure that I would fail,” she reveals. “My style of pension and so the only way I could start up selling was completely new to them, the culture was to re-mortgage my home, borrow money They didn’t take here in Spain was so different.” and make it work,” she recalls, from her home “As an entrepreneur I had to take risks and me seriously, in Javea, on the Costa Blanca. convince those who had the financial back“I had problems finding a bank who would suping of huge institutions behind them to take a I walked out port me and I remember the first time I presentrisk on me, but I proved myself and in the end, and went ed my business plan to get a loan, the bank those very same people looked to me to lead manager wouldn’t address me directly but kept somewhere else strategy and even asked me to teach them how looking towards the male friend I had brought to do it.” with me. Today Jennifer Cunningham Insurance has sev“I had to point out that it was me who was borrowing the mon- en offices in Spain (including one in the Canaries) and thouey, that I was the business owner and when they didn’t take sands of expat customers. me seriously, I walked out and went somewhere else.” While an incredible success story - not just for a woman, but She eventually found a sympathetic bank manager, a man also as an expat - she however, is most proud of the fact that who has supported her ever since her first venture, and who she leads a team of 23 staff, predominately women. she has stayed with as he moved across different banks. “It isn’t a policy to only employ women, it just turns out that
IRON DISCIPLINE: The RAF taught Jennifer well
they are the ones that have thrived,” she explains. “Applications are open to everyone and we do employ men and I try to keep a balance in the teams, but it’s the women that seem to be most successful in this business and the ones that stay on for years and years, while the men just don’t seem to keep up.”
Visit www.jennifercunningham.net for more info
20
All
about
N
Girls in Science
OT only International Women’s Day, February 11 is also Girls in Science day, a chance to focus on achieving equality in STEM fields. Currently, only 33.3% of scientific researchers worldwide are female and just 35% of STEM students are women. Despite this, girls and boys still show similar performances in science and maths. To tackle some of the greatest challenges faced by humankind such as climate change, we must make sure this talent turns into careers. “Women need science, and science needs women,”
Women need science, and science needs women By Yzabelle Bostyn says UNESCO. “Only by tapping into all sources of knowledge, all sources of talent, can we unlock the full potential of science, and rise to the challenges of our time.” But how can Spain lead the way when just 30% of Spanish women decide to pursue careers in STEM? Although they are well represented in roles related to care, accounting for some 82% of nurses, women are severely lacking in areas where they might become role models for future changemakers. Only one in four Spanish uni-
versity professors are female and just a quarter of scientists cited by the Spanish press are women. However, there is hope. According to a study by the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, the number of female scientists rose from 9-34% between 2015 and 2020. A Spanish campaign known as #NoMoreMatildas is also pushing for greater visibility. Named after the Matilda Effect, a phenomenon where women’s achievements are attributed to their male colleagues, they aim to ‘recover the women scientists of the past so they can be an inspiration for girls today, the scientists of tomorrow’. Not only is their website full of inspirational fe-
BEACON OF EXCELLENCE
I
N the vibrant hub of San Pedro de Alcántara, a prestigious international school stands as a beacon of academic prowess and athletic excellence. Within the halls of Laude International Col-
lege, two remarkable students have recently captured the spotlight with their outstanding achievements in sports: Oliver and Agustín. Oliver has recently clinched a prestigious scholarship to pursue his passion for the beautiful game in the United States. His journey from local fields to international acclaim is a testament to the school's commitment to nurturing talent and fostering holistic development. Under the guidance of our Head of PE, Tom Courtney, and within a supportive community, Oliver has not only honed his athletic and football skills but also cultivated invaluable traits such as resilience, leadership, and teamwork - qualities that transcend sports and prepare him for success in any endeavor. Meanwhile, Agustín, with his agility and unwavering determination, is currently making waves in the Málaga Basketball Cup. His stellar performance on the court embodies the school's ethos of excellence, where sporting achievements are celebrated alongside academic accomplishments. Through relentless practice and unwavering dedication, Agustín has not only elevated his game but also exemplified the virtues of discipline, perseverance, and sportsmanship - values that resonate deeply within the school’s ethos. The significance of sports within the school’s curriculum cannot be overstated. It serves as a powerful vehicle for character development, fostering qualities such as teamwork, resilience, and respect among students. More-
Sporting students who exemplify the ideals of Laude San Pedro International College
over, sports serve as a unifying force, bringing together individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures in pursuit of common goals. As Oliver and Agustín continue to write their stories of success, they serve as inspiring role models for their peers and the wider community. Their achievements underscore the transformative power of sports in shaping young lives and preparing them for the challenges of an ever-changing world. In conclusion, the tales of Oliver and Agustín stand as shining examples of the school’s commitment to excellence in both academics and athletics. Their success not only brings pride to the institution but also highlights the profound impact of sports in shaping well-rounded individuals poised for success on the international stage.
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL +34 952 799 900 OR VISIT THE WEBSITE WWW.LAUDESANPEDRO.COM
male scientists, the campaign group has also designed an annex to ‘update’ Spanish textbooks to include all the women that were previously left behind. They also write storybooks reimagining women at the forefront of famous scientific discoveries, such as Fleming’s discovery of penicillin. Projects like these are the first steps to achieving equality in the world of science and technology. Spain is not alone in its lack of female scientists. In the UK, women represent just 31% of STEM higher education students and only 26% of these graduates go on to pursue related careers. Clearly, inspiring more girls to pursue STEM careers is an international problem, which as the problems like climate change worsen, will require international solutions. As #NoMoreMatildas puts it: “It makes no sense to use just half of the minds we have at our disposal to fight the challenges we will face.”
Your International School in Marbella British and Spanish Curriculum • Academic Excellence • Multidisciplinary Education • Experiences beyond the classroom • Extensive Facilities
LA CULTURA
February 21st March 5th 2024
23
Saturn Devouring His Son (1819-23) -
T
Goya’s so-called ‘Black Paintings’ are a haunting, mysterious and violent collection of works that symbolise the darker themes that surrounded the master’s career towards the end of his life. Created to adorn the walls of his own home, ‘Saturn Devouring His Son’ is the most viscerally frightening example within the collection - a great, beastly figure feasting on the body of a dismembered and beheaded boy.
The 3rd of May 1808 (1814) Francisco de Goya - Room 064 One of the unquestionable highlights of the Prado is its vast collection of works by Goya, widely considered the most important Spanish artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. One of 600 of his works that adorn the Prado’s walls, ‘The 3rd of May 1808’ is a vast, enticing piece that encapsulates the violence and death that typified Goya’s later style. An eerie depiction of the execution of Spanish patriots by Napoleon’s forces during the Peninsular War, Goya’s skilful use of light illuminates the drama, tension and heroism of the scene, making it an unmissable stop on any Prado tour.
Rogier van der Weyden - Room 058 A truly unmissable creation, van der Weyden’s masterpiece is a breathtaking visit. Within a curious cross-like structure, the elegant mastery creates an astonishingly beautiful piece. At the centre lies Christ, inert after his crucifixion. To each side are mourners, painted in vivid detail, whose suffering and distress reflects the emotional tragedy of the scene. Painted early on in van der Weyden’s career, it is widely regarded as the most important representation of the crucifixion to come out of the Netherlands.
HELP AT HAND
What makes Jennifer Cunningham Insurances so different?
Francisco de Goya - Room 067
The Descent from the Cross (before 1443)
Dear Jennifer:
The Adoration of the Shepherds (1612-14) El Greco - Room 010B Painted in his quintessentially dramatic style, often denoted as a precursor to the modern movements of Cubism and Expressionism, this nativity scene is considered as El Greco’s final work before his death in 1614. This tall, gangly canvas is rich with
colour, light and darkness, creating a captivating path towards the young baby Jesus, surrounded by Joseph and three shepherds. With its religious themes and vivid colours, El Greco’s final work acts as an appropriate representation of his magnificent career.
HIS is a good question and I can offer you a number of answers. I started my company nearly 30 years ago, working from home and developing the business slowly over a number of years. Once established, I employed staff and rented a large office in Javea port, where I am still to this day. How life has changed for me, and for the better. I realised when I moved to Spain, that there was very little help available and what was available was normally in Spanish. There was no private health insurance, no funeral plans and no insurance dedicated to the Expat, and little customer service. I started the business selling health insurance for a British company, along with funeral plans. Having lost my husband in Spain, I realised how difficult it was to arrange a funeral and the costs were enormous. Being very disciplined myself (probably due to my time in the Air Force), I have a strong work ethic. I used to work from home during the day, and I would go out early evenings making home visits until I was busy enough to take someone on to help me. From those early days when I worked tirelessly, I built my company and now have seven offices. I demand from my excellent and loyal staff that they treat all my clients with respect, courtesy and honesty and offer them the best service that is possible. I pride myself that the after sales service is the best, a service very rare in Spain. I have two Claims Administrators and a dedicated Renewal department, who will make sure that as your circumstances change, your policies can change with you and you are fully aware of your coverage. So these are just some of the reasons why we are so special. We are more than just a voice on the phone, offering good, old fashioned service. Not always the cheapest, but the best, working with Liberty Seguros and ASSSA healthcare, who both provide special Expat policies and are the best in the market.
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR A QUOTATION, PLEASE CALL ONE OF MY OFFICES, EMAIL INFO@ JENNIFERCUNNINGHAM.NET OR VISIT THE WEBSITE WWW.JENNIFERCUNNINGHAM.NET
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24
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
LAGOON SOON
AN artificial beach resort conceived by US company Crystal Lagoons is coming to Sevilla. The firm has created a process that allows crystalline lagoons of ‘unlimited size’ to be built and maintained at a low cost anywhere in the world. The company has already launched in Prague, Warsaw, Bucharest and Budapest, and its expansion will include Rome, Milan, Toulouse plus two more Romanian cities. No details have yet been revealed about the Sevilla site. The firm says setting up a large crystal clear lagoon suitable for bathing and water sports, surrounded by white sand beaches, transforms areas into all-year ‘dynamic entertainment hubs’.
Simply the best
MARBELLA has been voted as Europe’s best place to visit by readers of an online travel website. The city came top of the poll conducted by the European Best Destinations portal, pick-
February 21st - March 5th 2024
ing up 149,192 votes. It's the highest vote for any location since the website started the annual survey in 2009 as it beat off challenges from Monaco and Malta. Some 84% of people who chose Marbella were voters from outside Spain and it came top of the list for UK and American travellers.
Against the grain AN iconic Spanish dish could be under threat as farmers warn paella rice could ‘disappear’ due to EU regulations. Bomba, the rice variety used to make the meal, could be at peril after the European Union banned a pesticide farmers claim they rely upon to cultivate the grain. The chemical is said to stop rice plants growing a fungus which causes rice blast disease, which can lead to ‘total crop failure’. Three rice growers in the Valencia region have claimed their harvest in 2023 was half
Farmers in Spain warn rice used to make paella could 'disappear' due to EU rules By Yzabelle Bostyn
the 10 year average as a result of the Pyricularia fungus. Miguel Minguet said the variety, which is almost exclusively found in Spain, is ‘very likely to disappear’. “Our crop is going to be lost to regulations,” he claimed. Major exporters still use the
Pimpi is a huge draw in Malaga, both for and tourists. The expansion was one PIMPING IT UP Ellocals of the objectives of its most high-profile
ICONIC Malaga restaurant and winery El Pimpi is to open a new branch in Marbella. The new El Pimpi will be in the Hotel Puente Romano, and while the venue will be more modern than the original, it will still maintain much of the original’s character.
partner, Hollywood actor Antonio Banderas, who is originally from Malaga. The business opened in 1971, and takes its name from the English word ‘pimp’. It is a reference to the men who would direct foreign sailors arriving in the port to find women of the night.
pesticide in Brazil, India and Cambodia. It came after farmers staged protests across Europe over claims they let outside competitors have an advantage over EU farmers by letting them use the chemical. The clashes have exposed Brussels’ struggles to balance sustainability policies with BYE-ELLA: EU regulations ban a providing self-suf- crucial pesticide for rice production ficient food production. lencia’s wetlands. Known as tricyclazole, the Angry farmers claim the EU EU stopped authorising the has one set of rules for local chemical because it could be producers and another for harmful to human health. imported goods, allowing It has been used for 40 years them to carry traces of the to combat the fungus in Va- potentially harmful pesticide.
SERIAL LOSERS
A SPANISH airport has taken the unfortunate prize of losing the most luggage across Europe. New research by Reclamio, a company specialising in the management of air passenger complaints, ranks Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas airport as the worst culprit. Some 26.5% of complaints for lost luggage received by the company in 2023 were about the capital’s airport, used by over 60 million passengers last year. Spain’s second busiest airport, and Europe’s seventh, Barcelona-El Prat, was culpable for 13.2% of all claims handled by Reclamio. Whilst the data is skewed by Reclamio’s monopoly over passenger complaints on the Iberian peninsula, other studies support the idea that Spanish airports and airlines are particularly bad offenders. A 2019 study by price comparison site MoneySuperMarket also ranked Madrid-Bajaras airport as the worst offender in all of Europe for flights from the UK.
T H E O L I V E P R E S S A N D P I C U BA N U S I N V I T E YO U TO A B OT T L E O F W I N E * W i t h eve r y t a b l e re s e r va t i o n - s c a n t h e Q R c o d e.
Feels like home Hola Quooker!
Quooker has arrived in Spain. You can now benefit from official technical service and local warranty. Visit www.quooker.es to know more or to find a dealer near you! With a Quooker in your kitchen you always have 100 °C boiling water alongside regular hot and cold. Add a CUBE and you will also have filtered chilled and sparkling water – all from the same tap. The tap that does it all. info@quooker.es
26
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
February 21st - March 5th 2024
What a A
TOWN in northern Spain has gone viral for being ‘identical’ to the Beauty and the Beast village. At some point, everyone has wished they were in a Disney movie. From the glaciers of Arendelle to the temples of imperialist China, there’s
EVOCATIVE: The medieval streets of Covarrubias are reminicent of the ancient alleys and architecture of the village in Beauty and the Beast
By Yzabelle Bostyn always enchanting scenery fit for a fairytale. If your favourite princess was the erudite Belle, you’re in luck. A town in northern Spain has been dubbed the country’s answer to Beauty and the Beast by travel influencers. Covarrubias, Burgos, is ‘full of corners that will transport you’ to the film, with cobbled streets snaking through ramshackle Medieval buildings and historic monuments. The walled city has been inhabited since the paleolithic period and is home to one of Spain’s best preserved roman bridges. It was founded in 653 by a Visgoth king, where the San Cosme and San Damian churches now stand. Some 100 years later, the Moors destroyed the city and built its first defensive towers, eventually making Covarrubias front line of the recon-
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FOOD, DRINK & TRAVEL
February 21st March 5th 2024
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Spanish town that could be a set for a Disney movie
SOME FRONT: Timber-framed buildings are crucial to the charm of Covarrubias quest of Spain. After Catholics had retaken hold of the Iberian peninsula, Covarrubias became the capital of Castille, a highly influential Spanish kingdom which reigned from 1065 -1833. It is this period which has shaped the city’s legend. In 1258, Kristina of Norway married Prince Felipe of Castille before moving to Sevilla.
Unfortunately the princess, known for her beauty, died of heatstroke in the ‘frying pan of Spain’. Her body was subsequently moved to Covarrubias and today, singles from all over Europe visit her tomb, hoping for better luck in their dating lives. There is also a festival dedicated to the princess, held in October with music, artisan crafts and theatre performances. The city is also home to a ‘Book Muse-
um’, housed in Covarrubia’s archive. Nearby, there are two historic monasteries, Silos and San Pedro de Arlanza. They are found in the Lerma area, which is well known for its gastronomic offering, including the exquisite DO Arlanza wines. Adventurers can also follow the Arlanza river to discover the stunning countryside, found in the heart of the old Castille kingdom.
Book your ski/snowboard lessons for February now! Avoid the busy season and try early February or March instead!!
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HEALTH
February 21st March 5th 2024
of three months or more for appointments with a hospital specialist. WAITING TIMES delays There are many regional variations with the
THE average wait to see a family doctor or primary care health staff is 9.12 days in Spain, according to figures compiled by the Defence of Public Health group (FADSP). The study says that 25.9% of patients wait 11 days or more, while 38.2% of people suffer
Are you depressed? Suffering from anxiety? Worried about the year ahead? Are your kids having social issues?
Vaccine study
PERHAPS YOU NEED SOMEONE PROFESSIONAL TO TALK TO I HOPE I CAN HELP.
A COURT has ordered an investigation over whether Covid-19 vaccines that allegedly contained graphene oxide posed any health risk. Complaints were submitted in 2022 and Almeria Provincial Court now wants to see whether there is ‘any indication of a crime against public health’.
Covid jab health probe ordered by court By Alex Trelinski
The court overturned a decision made by a judge last May to dismiss the case as unjustified, without clarifying the facts. The ruling upholds an appeal by the complainants and concludes that the police MEN who take Viagra to treat erectile dysneed to carry function could have a lower risk of developing out investiAlzheimer’s disease, according to a new study. gations, esThe study saw nearly 270,000 men take part, pecially since with an average age of 59 - the participants probes had were newly-diagnosed with erectile dysfuncbeen started tion and did not have dementia symptoms at in other parts the start of the research. of Spain. The men were then followed by researchers for The case an average of five years. was initially Some 55% took drugs including Viagra, brought after Cialis, vardenafil and avanafil, whereas the the opinions rest did not. of a UniversiMen who had been prescribed drugs for their ty of Almeria erectile dysfunction were 18% less likely to (UAL) chemdevelop dementia, although more research is istry proneeded to prove the link. fessor were
Call me, Fijaz Mughal, in confidence. I’m fully-accredited and professionally-trained in London and recently moved to Spain. I understand the issues many expats feel in Spain. Change through relocation abroad can really add to mental health pressures and these life changes are never easy. Counselling and therapy has changed the lives of many. Getting in touch is the first step. Recognising that there is an issue is the first step on the road to recovery.
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average primary care delay standing at 12.4 days in Catalunya, followed by 10.4 days in Andalucia and the Valencian Community with 9.8 days. In contrast, Asturias comes in with the best figure of the 17 regions with a 4.8 day wait.
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21 February
published on social media over an alleged contamination of the vaccine following the study of a sample. His findings suggested that analysis provides ‘solid evidence of the probable presence of graphene derivatives, although it does not provide conclusive proof’. The university dissociated itself from his conclusions and said that the analysed sample was ‘of unknown origin with a total absence of traceability’. The UAL clarified that it was not an official report or a scientific study, while stressing its total support for vaccines in fighting diseases. In response to complaints acted on by the Court of Instruction 2 - and now revoked by Almeria Provincial Court - the judge last May said that there were no indications of any crime ‘given that it is not proven that the Covid-19 vaccine had a toxic component that generates danger to people’s health’.
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BUSINESS PAINSTAKING waits for money to be transferred between different banks will soon be a thing of the past after the European Parliament modernised its payment regulations. A new EU law now means that transfers between different banks must be free and almost instantaneous.
February 21st March 5th 2024
Transfer move
Regardless of day or time, the payment must be received by the payee within 10 seconds, with the payer informed whether the money has been successfully transferred or not within the same
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timeframe. The new regulations also state that users should not be hit by charges for instant payments. The new rules will also apply to member states who do not use the euro as their currency, such as Sweden, Denmark and Poland.
Retail stranglehold
SUPERMARKETS continued their domination of Spain's grocery and fresh food purchases in 2023, accounting for 74.9% of sales - up 1.3% on the previous year. The study from analysis company Kantar shows that the combined share is 12.8% more than a decade ago. The biggest rises among the chains were for Mercadona (up 0.6%) and Lidl (up 0.5%). Both retailers have been opening new stores over the
Spain’s supermarkets account for nearly three in four grocery purchases By Alex Trelinski
past 12 months with more to come this year. Mercadona dominates with 26.2% of supermarket sales, followed a long way behind by Carrefour on 9.9%. Lidl is at 6.4%, Eroski (4.4%), Dia (4.1%), Consum
SCAM ALERT
OVER half of people in Spain spotted a scam or an attempted fraud involving mobile phone messages and emails in 2023. The findings come from the Centre for Sociological Research (CIS) which discovered 52% of respondents confirmed they had noticed some suspicious activity on their phone. The scam attempts came via a link to a website in a text, an email, or a bogus message on WhatsApp.
(3.4%), Alcampo (3.1%) and Aldi (1.5%). The Kantar survey highlights the growth of German discount companies Lidl and Aldi who had over 14 million shoppers last year
Fine chance
THE National Court has temporarily suspended massive fines given to Amazon and Apple by competition watchdog CNMC over collusion. The international giants can now appeal against a July ruling when they were fined a total of €194 million for preventing retailers other than Amazon from selling Apple items like iPhones on Amazon’s websites in Spain.
- 6% more than in 2020. Their outlets rose from 947 to 1,105 last year, with Lidl's own market share going from 4.9% to 6.4% over three years. The study also shows own label sales have risen but as prices start to come down, consumers are slowly returning to previous brands. Promotions also act as a good lure with 60% of consumers surveyed by Kantar saying they'd buy another brand if it is on sale. Some people are even willing to switch supermarkets if they hear about a special offer.
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A MONKEY which was held in brutal captivity in a flat in Barcelona for 35 years has finally been freed after an an animal rights organisation filed a complaint with local authorities
Ton-up THE first woman to receive the Covid-19 vaccine in Spain, Araceli Hidalgo, received birthday wishes from Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday after turning 100 years old.
Water hazard THREE golf courses based on the Costa del Sol are under investigation after being accused of stealing water for irrigation. The region is currently suffering its worst drought in decades.
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Vol. 18 Issue 438 www.theolivepress.es February 21st - March 5th 2024
PRAYER-BNB
WITH their traditional pastry business scuppered by the cost of living crisis, a community of cloistered nuns in Sevilla has had to take drastic measures to survive. Described as the ‘perfect location to relax in the heart of the city’, the nuns are offering stays within their convent through Airbnb. The secluded nuns, from the Order of Saint Clare, have opened four flats which can each be rented for between €90
PIC CREDIT: Matthew Murphy and Oliver Rosser
Mon-key to freedom
ANDALUCÍA
Picky prioress
Grapes of wrath
How nuns are turning their convent into a holiday rental and €180. Only one member of the Convent of Saint Mary of Jesus, Sister Ines, maintains contact with the outside world, using a revolving hatch through which their famous pastries are sold. But with a falling number of vocations and climbing inflation, the nuns have turned to the rental market to top up the coffers.
NUN OF YOUR BUSINESS: Convents must diversify income streams
AN intruder literally poured €2 million worth of wine down the drain at a renowned bodega. He entered the Valladolid winery on Sunday and emptied three tanks containing 60,000 litres of maturing premium wine.
The bells of the convent ring to announce when a paying guest arrives, more often than not a foreign tourist, according to Bernal. Nowadays, the community consists of 18 nuns, with the Bishop of Sevilla recently advising the city’s 34 convents to diversify their income streams. The convent was founded in 1502, the height of Sevilla’s thriving Golden Age, by Alvaro de Portugal, a cousin of Isabella the Catholic, the Queen of Castilla y Leon. One of the flats currently has a rating of 4.86/5, with past guests complimentary of the location, cleanliness and architecture.
The Guardia Civil is searching for the hooded person that appeared to have expert knowledge of how to turn on the taps at the Cepa 21 winery in Castillo de Duero - a complicated procedure meant to safeguard against accidents. And he also knew which tanks contained the premium Horcajo and Malabrigo brands, which are sold at over €90 a bottle. He accessed two other tanks but, fortunately for Cepa 21, they were already empty.
By Ben Pawlowski
The flats, located within the 16th-century walls of the convent, are managed by Javier Bernal and Luis Bidon, who successfully negotiated a oneyear agreement with the nuns after passing them a message through an intermediary pastry-buyer.
A COMMUNITY of cloistered nuns in Ronda is in desperate need of new members, with the Vatican threatening to close the convent. The group needs two new sisters ‘as soon as possible’ to persuade the Vatican to keep the convent open. Several young women have enquired about the ‘position’, but the prioress of the convent has stated that prospective nuns must have a CV including ‘substantial previous experience’. Two years ago the congregation was home to nine nuns, but a succession of deaths has left just four sisters. The Vatican states that cloistered congregations must have a minimum of six nuns.
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