Olive Press Mallorca Issue 134 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

OLIVE PRESS

The FREE

Half way there! By George Mathias

A PETITION demanding an answer from the British government over the right for expats to drive in Spain is nearly halfway there. Nearly 4,500 people have signed the demand for action, supported by the Olive Press’ U-Turn campaign. The petition needs 10,000 signatures to force the government to give an official response, with its creator, Stuart Hudd, urging a final push this month. The Murcia-based expat is furious that he is not able to drive in Spain under new Brexit rules, despite registering correctly as a resident in September 2020. Both he and wife got TIE residency certificates, but were wrongly told by a gestor in Mazarron they didn’t need to register to swap their driving licences. “I was told don’t worry, there will be an agreement,” he said. “Now we are isolated in the campo and relying on friends and neighbours to take us shopping and to medical appointments.” The poor advice mirrors hundreds of testimonies the Olive Press has heard throughout this debacle, leading to our front page U-Turn campaign launched on June 1. We are supporting the right of expats to swap their licences for Spanish ones, as has been the case

U -T

U RN

Vol. 5 Issue 134

Your voice in Spain

UNESCO calls on Baleares towns to get ready for a tsunami, with claim that Mediterranean is 100% certain to suffer one in next 30 years SEASIDE town halls are being urged by UNESCO to put emergency plans in place against a possible tsunami. A new study by the United Nations body claims the probability of a tsunami bigger than one metre on the Mediterranean coastline is 100% over the next 30 years. It is most likely to be caused by an offshore earthquake or an undersea volcano eruption, such as one offshore from the Italian island of Panarea, as scientists note the ‘instability’of its behaviour. The claims were backed up by the research of underwater explorer Alexis Resenfeld, who described the constantly erupting volcano as the ‘gates of hell’. In a study for the 1Ocean expedition with UNESCO, it was discovered that more than a million litres of gas can be released from the area every

By Livia Cockerell

day. Scientists were this week discussing the threat of a tsunami in more detail at a UN Oceans conference in Lisbon. In particular, they want to stress how vital it is for all coastal communities to be fully prepared for the worst by 2030. While concerns in Spain are focused on Chipiona, on Cadiz’s Costa de la Luz, the Baleares have also been warned to make themselves ‘tsunami ready’. The working group of the Hydraulic Institute of the Universi-

See page 5

THREAT: Volcano at Panarea could explode

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E n d s

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N O W!

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Keep your shirt on! And you will be FINE!!

MALLORCA

AT RISK: Formentera is vulnerable

ty of Cantabria (IH Cantabria), led by Mauricio Gonzalez, said that coastal municipalities on Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera need to calculate the risk of a tsunami. So far, he says, no municipality has been prepared to respond properly to a tsunami warning. The researcher explained that the areas most exposed to the impact of a tsunami are in the Mediterranean. Last year, the entire Costa del Sol, and Baleares were put on a similar warning by Spain’s Institut de Ciencies del Mar (CSIC).

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It warned of thousands of homes being destroyed and many lives lost within 20 minutes of a potential earthquake in the Averroes fault. The warmomgs recall a giant 12m tsunami that travelled at up to 750km which hit Formentera in 1756. Ot was caused by a seaquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale along the Averroes fault. The force of the wave hurled giant giant blocks of rock weighing up to 32 tonnes 10 metres above the water line at Punta Prima. “In the Mediterranean, there is no question about it: it is not if, it’s when,” said UNESCO tsunami expert Bernardo Aliaga, this week. The experts are worried that towns and cities on the Mediterranean underestimate the risk of tsunamis because they are not as frequent as, for example, in the Indian Ocean. They claim this increases the danger as fewer measures are enforced and warnings are not properly given.

Threat

The threat caused by a tsunami is made significantly greater due to rising sea levels. Studies in China show the higher the sea levels, the further inland tsunami waves travel. UNESCO plans to support towns and cities as they enforce preparation measures such as alert systems. Opinion Page 6

CRIME

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NEWS IN BRIEF Covid concerns FEARS of a new wave are growing as 388 new Covid cases in a 24 hour period were confirmed in the Baleares with 186 in Mallorca.

Un-fare MALLORCA Taxi drivers have blamed a cabbie shortage on the difficulty of the official taxi driver exam needed to pass to become licenced.

Knot tied GERMAN F1 driver Nico Hulkenberg married Lithuanian designer Egle Ruskyte in Mallorca at the weekend in the parish church of Sant Pere, in Sencelles.

Hattrick THREE football legends were spotted partying in Mallorca - Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Cesc Fabregas published snaps of themselves quaffing cocktails at an unknown Mallorca bar.

TWO Vietnamese performers have been accused of raping a 17-year-old British girl. The accused, two men aged 37 and 42, are famous in Vietnam as an actor and singer. Police say the alleged victim was on holiday with her family in Mallorca and met the two in a restaurant where they enjoyed a drink together.

July 1st - July 14th 2022

BRIT TEEN RAPE CLAIM Petrol head jailbirds

The three then continued the evening by heading down to the beach and then back to the men’s hotel room where they were staying in the Santa Elm area in the south west of the island. The victim told in a statement given to court that at this point, the men forced

her to have sex with them before they made her take a shower to remove evidence of bodily fluids. After delivering her statement to court, the British girl returned home with her family. The two accused were released on charges with their passports withdrawn.

Teflon Bart Cursach case suspended and could be thrown out THE Cursach corruption case has been suspended and is at risk of being annulled. The case, which was predicted to last up to 10 months, making it the longest trial in Baleares history, has been dragging on since he was first arrested in 2017. The case centres around the nightlife tycoon who went on to be the main investor in Mallorca Football Club, Bartolome Cursach, and his alleged ‘collusion’ with local police and

By Kimberley Mannion

polititians for the benefit of his business interests. Along with Cursach, the Palma trial has been investigating 22 others including 14 police officers, two officials and one other official accused of a range of crimes from belonging to a criminal organisation, prevarication and threats. A series of acquittals on the opening day of the trial

POLICE have arrested 12 people after discovering two drug labs and a marijuana plantation in Palma. Officers seized 169 plants and threeand-a-half kilos of cocaine during a raid on the ‘Guacamayo’ clan. The Colombians, who live in Palma, are

Drug trade

CURSACH: in white shirt arriving at court brought this number down to 17. Private prosecutions were dropped against six of the accused, including the director of Tito’s nightclub and a former Director-General at the Bale-

Cocaine bust

accused of importing large amounts of pure cocaine, before cutting it and exporting it round Spain to other criminal gangs.

FIVE members of the notorious United Tribuns neo-Nazi biker gang have been jailed for a total of 15 years. The accused accepted 15-anda-half years of imprisonment between them and fines adding up to €175,200. A cousin of the gang’s boss was jailed for five years and fined €70,000, while the leader himself - Stefan Milojevic - got away with an 18 month sentence and fine of €200, suspended for three years because he has no previous criminal record. Three other defendants have accepted a sentence of three years in prison each.

ares tourism ministry, Pilar Carbonell. The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor believes the rights of those being investigated were violated, although he does not consider it enough to annul the whole case. The defence has been calling for annulment since the trial started, claiming that Judge Manuel Penalva and Prosecutor Subiran broke the law during investigations, as well as vagueness in what exactly Cursach is being accused of.

A major investigation into the gang was launched in January 2020 by police, who considered the group was set on taking over Mallorca’s drug trade. The gang sold drugs including cocaine, ketamine, ecstasy and marijuana. The Mallorca bikers gang is an offshoot of German based United Tribuns, which was founded in 2004 in Villingen-Schwenningen by former Bosnian boxer Almir Culum. It is known for its drugs trafficking, with profits allegedly being used to support neo-Nazi groups.

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NEWS

www.theolivepress.es HE was the archetypal heartthrob in An Officer and a Gentleman and Pretty Woman, with Julia Roberts. And Richard Gere has been looking as dashing as ever on a summer break to the Balearics. The Hollywood star has been spending a few weeks with his Spanish wife Alejandra Silva and their two sons touring around the islands. The 72-year-old, whose breakout role was as a male escort in American Gigolo, has stood up well to the ravages of time, as this photo from his wife’s Instagram account proves. The couple, who married in 2018

Still got it!

By Kimberley Mannion

and live in New York, have taken to the waves aboard a yacht cruising around Ibiza and Formentera with their children. Gere became a father for the third time in 2020 when Silva, 39, gave birth to their second son just a year after their first. He also has a 22-year-old son from his previous marriage to model Carey Lowell. His first wife was supermodel Cindy Crawford. Silva, who comes from Galicia, has a nineyear-old son from her first marriage.

EXPATS were surprised to discover a famous punter in their midst as they enjoyed an afternoon pint when Harry Redknapp showed up. The former Premier League manager, who won ITV’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, thrilled drinkers at Ryder’s Bar in Duquesa, on the Costa del Sol, as he swapped banter.

Drink

He had been planning a quiet drink with agent Eamon Collins and ex-West Brom star Derek Stratham, both of whom are regulars. Bar owners Sharon Anne O’Callaghan, 60, from London and husband Andrew Moore, 62, from the Midlands, said it was a pleasure to have Rednapp at Ryder’s. Sharon told the Olive Press: “It was great to meet Harry, he is a lovely man, a true gent and was only too happy to chat with customers.”

Urgent consignment of British Red Kites sent to Spain to save threatened species

IT was three decades ago that Spain sent a consignment of 13 Red Kites to the UK to urgently boost a population that was on the verge of extinction. Now the UK has returned the favour packing 30 of the glorious birds of prey in the other direction. The reintroduction programme will see the 15 pairs of Milanos Reales, as they are called in Spanish, scattered around Extremadura and Andalucia. They are likely to be the descendants of wild Red Kites sent from Spain to the Chiltern Hills in the 1990s, after Britain’s population was re-

What an Ora

RETURN TO SENDER

‘Ello ‘Arry

July 1st - July 14th 2022

SHE was appropriately sparkling as Rita Ora wowed crowds at a fashion show for high end jeweller Cartier in Madrid. The Let You Love Me singer Rita Ora showed true aura in her performance wearing a stunning fuschia pink silk dress set off with diamonds from Cartier. The star has been the face of the jewellers of late, attending several of their events. Ora, 31, who also holds Kosovon nationality, grew up in London. She was not the only star at the show with Bohemian Rhapsody actor Rami Malek also on hand.

HOME: Young Red Kite in Badajoz duced to a mere handful of pairs in one isolated spot in Wales. The conservation programme has been so successful in the UK that the birds are now a common sight soaring over gardens across half of the country with their reddish tones, forked tails and distinctive mewing cries.

Historic heights AFTER years on the brink of extinction, the Spanish imperial eagle has reached a new all-time record with 166 chicks hatched in Andalucia alone this Spring. It comes after a 2021 census found 129 breeding pairs in the region, some 5% up on 2020. The highest previous record came in 2019 when 144 chicks hatched.

It is estimated that there are now between 4,000 and 6,000 breeding pairs in the UK. Meanwhile, in Spain they have fared far less well and there are only 11 breeding pairs in Caceres province and just four within Badajoz. It is hoped that the new arrivals will boost the wild population in Extremadura and Andalucia with the same success as the British programme. This month the first batch of 15 fledgling birds arrived at the Amus rescue centre in Villafranca de los Barros, in Badajoz. From here they will spend a short time in aviaries to acclimatise before being released after about three weeks. Another 15 will arrive at the end of June and 30 more will be sent over each June for the next two years. .

RAISING THE WOOF A WIREHAIRED Fox Terrier called Funfair Foxhouse has been crowned as the World’s Best Dog. Think Crufts on steroids as 16,500 dogs and 12,000 professional breeders travelled to Madrid from 50 countries to take part in the World Dog Show. Queen Sofia inaugurated the event in which dogs face agility tests and obstacle courses. Silver went to an English Bulldog and bronze to an

TOP DOG: Funfair Old English Shepherd. The best placed Spanish dog was a Miniature Wirehaired Dachshund who came fourth.

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A SPANIARD who travelled to Ukraine to join the resistance against the Russian invasion has been killed. Angel Adrover Martinez, died in circumstances that have not yet been made clear. The 31-year-old from Mallorca had no military training but travelled to Ukraine via the Netherlands after the invasion. He initially went to provide humanitarian aid but then moved to a military base in Lviv where he was supplying support to military troops. His death was confirmed by Spain’s Foreign Ministry making him the first Spaniard to be killed in Ukraine since the outbreak of war in February. His family described him as a very altruistic man, who had been moved to do something after the outbreak of the war.

CRISTIANO Ronaldo and his wife Georgina Rodriguez have been enjoying a decadent family holiday in a luxury estate near Bunyola. Social media influencer Rodriguez has shared snaps of the couple enjoying time with their children playing in the sea, relaxing on a deluxe yacht, as well as celebrating the 12th birthday of their eldest son. A video posted by Rodriguez shows friends

Pic credit: Georgina Rodriguez Insta gram

NEWS

4 www.theolivepress.es Volunteer killed

July 1st - July 14th 2022

R-on holiday

and family marking the occasion in their private resort. The doting mother also posted a touching tribute to her late son who passed away in April. She took to Instagram to post an image of the sun cracking through the clouds.

STARDUST!

It’s party season on Mallorca, and this weekend it was the turn of music stars to descend MALLORCA was treated to a musical extravaganza over the weekend. Christina Aguilera brought a sprinkling of stardust to the Baleares,

FIRST LADIES

THE American president and his wife have been matching up with Spanish royalty as world leaders unite in Madrid for the NATO summit. But it didn’t all go to plan when America’s First Lady, Jill Biden, kept Queen Letizia waiting outside a Ukrainian refugee centre. Not used to waiting, the Queen looked at the sky, opening her arms as if to say ‘finally’ when Mrs Biden arrived.

By George Mathias

with the Staten Island-born superstar playing her first Spanish gig since 2003. The singer began her performance with the song hit Dirrty, which was followed by Can’t Hold Us down and Bionic. Her performance was eagerly awaited, with some fans queuing from Friday morning to get a good spot for her show. Headlining the Sunday night, British band Muse unleashed their rock anthems to the crowd in what was their first ever Mallorca performance. The UK was well represented throughout the festival, with Editors and Supergrass both playing before Scottish in-

Friends.

SHOWTIME: Mallorca wowed by Christina Aguilera die-rockers Franz Ferdinand ricadelafuente performing his took to the stage with their unique Latin-inspired guitar trademark agitated garage hits to an adoring Spanish following. rock to swarms of fans. Christina said that she was Elsewhere the grungy guitar really happy to be in Mallorca riffs of Spaniards Repion and and see all the beautiful faces Cupido proved that today’s stadium rockers are not conof her fans. The festival took place in Mag- fined to the Anglospehre while aluf, a fitting location for a there was a dash of throwback festival blending British and flamenco from Cecilia Zango acting as a much needed melSpanish music. Castillian was well represent- lower to the cut and thrust of ed too, with pop star Guitar- screeching guitars.

Extradition for Maddie suspect EXCLUSIVE By Jon Clarke

EXTRADITION proceedings are being launched to bring five new charges against Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner. A German prosecutor confirmed he is sending paperwork to officially extradite Brueckner from Italy, where he was last a free man, despite him actually being in a German jail. Describing it as ‘a formality’, he told the Olive Press that it would mean the German paedophile being charged with five new offences ‘within weeks’. The crimes - three rapes and two child sex assaults - are expected to come to court in the early Autumn.

Formality

“It’s only a formality and I hope it’s not a problem,” said Hans Christian Wolters, the chief prosecutor, in Braunschweig, where the Madeleine McCann case is being handled. A prosecution against Brueckner, 45, in the case of abducted Madeleine, who vanished in Portugal, in May, 2007, will follow immediately after.

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NEWS

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Stay away! ENVIRONMENTALISTS want to cap the number of cars and tourists allowed into Ibiza. Proposals have been put forward to put in restrictions, particularly during the summer high season when tourists flock to the island for its legendary parties and beaches. President of environmental pressure group GEN-Gob Juan Carles Palerm, acknowledged that for the initiative to work improvements would have to be made to public transport. It is not only cars the environmentalists are looking to cut down on, but tourists too. Palerm suggests that tourist boards and holiday companies should stop actively seeking to attract even more tourists. “We have been saturated and overwhelmed for a long time,” said Palerm.

Ready, steady, wait

Airport delays in store as bumper tourist season starts

GET ready for airport delays. This is the message from airports operator AENAS, which says that Sant Joan will suffer flight hold-ups due to a lack of staff at main European airports and airlines. On top of this, more tourists than expected are set to arrive at Palma, overwhelming staff on passport control, as well as local buses heading for Palma centre. The airport is currently dealing with the same levels of arrivals and departures as in 2019, but it is expected that

Pump price warning PETROL prices in Spain might hit €3 per litre this summer according to a service station employers group. Nacho Rabadan, president of CEEES, said: “I do not rule out any scenario and we could see prices of three euros per litre this summer because demand far exceeds supply.” Rabadan believes that with the summer holiday season approaching in the Northern Hemisphere, there simply isn't enough petrol to go round. Pump prices in many parts of Spain have passed the €2 per litre mark.

WARNING: Be prepared for delays

July 1st - July 14th 2022

WATCH OUT, THE INSPECTOR’S ABOUT UNCARING bosses better watch out - 80 employment inspectors will be posted in Mallorca to monitor working conditions this summer. During high season, employment breaches, particularly concerning temporary workers, are not uncommon. President of Mallorca Francina Armengol and employment minister Iago Negueruela have reinforced the Inspection Plan following two years in which it has not been widely enforced. The inspectors will be looking at violations of employment regulations regarding working hours and overtime. Their checks will heavily focus on construction and hospitality sectors, where breaches are most frequently made.

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in July and August the number of tourists will be higher than before the pandemic. Palma is the most sought after destination amongst Spaniards this July, according to tourism search engine Jetcost. It was the most searched booking destination for July, followed by Benidorm and Tenerife. The other Balearic islands of Menorca and Ibiza also featured high on the list. Jetcost’s marketing director, Ignazio Ciarmoli, said: “The Balearic Islands has been one of the most sought-after communities with three destinations among the 35

favorites to spend these vacation days. “Palma, which has been the most sought-after city in Spain, and Ibiza, which occupies the seventh position, stand out especially.” It looks to be a promising summer with Mallorca also doing well internationally.

EMERGENCIES: 636 308 789 Tel: 971 681 439 www.theeuropeandentalpractice.com Dr.Mónica Bonet – University of Barcelona Dr. Yasmina Adebibe – B.D.S London Susan Taylor-Vickers – BSc, EDH Mercadona Centre, Son Caliu, Palma Nova

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OPINION Do not waver WITH so much focus on the dangers of forest fires in recent weeks, the news of UNESCO calling on towns in Southern Spain to get ready for a tsunami are a much needed reminder of the very real danger coastal towns face from natural disasters. It is particularly concerning that none of the towns which could be affected by a tsunami, which UNESCO says is 100% likely to hit the shores of Spain in the next 30 years, appear to have a contingency plan in place for such an event. Forest fires have rightly caused increased diligence and readiness in areas at high risk of catching alight, with catastrophe zones recently declared in the Pujerra area which has seen successive years of fires which have charred vast swathes of land and strict laws that prohibit human activity in the summer months. But whereas forest fires impact rural areas, tsunamis often impact densely populated coastal towns where the risk of death is much increased. Indeed, in Chipiona in 1755 off Lisbon, pounding 6 metre waves killed thousands of people, with a death toll across Spain and Portugal of 50,000. And though tsunamis have always been present throughout human history, rising sea levels caused by human activity make coastal communities far more vulnerable to flooding from tsunamis. Even modest rises in sea levels dramatically increases the frequency and intensity of flooding when a tsunami occurs as the tsunami can travel further inland. A 2018 study showed only a 50 centimetre rise in sea level would double the frequency of tsunami-induced flooding in Macau, China. This means in future, smaller tsunamis may well have the same impact as giant tsunamis would today. It is therefore imperative that the coastal areas most at risk dedicate significantly more time to planning for the inevitable.

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Wheely easy Got a spare ten weeks and €600? Exactly how easy is it for a Brit to take a driving test in Spain. Mike Sedgwick got behind the wheel to find out

AVING found himself among the thousands of British expats left unable to drive in Spain, Mike Sedgwick undertook a bit of overtaking action. Not content to sit back and wait at the back of the grid, he set out to get himself a Spanish licence the hard way; by doing the test! Well two to be exact as you need both a theory and practical test before getting the coveted pink EU licence. “I couldn’t wait for the bureaucracy to be agreed or not, so I took the plunge and did my theory test leading to the practical,” explained the 63-year-old, who moved to Cadiz from the Midlands a few years ago. Here he gives Olive Press readers a simple step by step guide on how to go about doing it. First up Mike registered with a local driving school and for €150 he was given an online manual (conveniently in English) and access to the test system.

Dear Pedro

AN expat has written to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez asking him to take action to resolve the driving licence debacle. es in MurSally Ashwin, who liv ter: “This let the in d sai , cia astrophic issue has had a catvulnerable st mo the on impact munity within the British com in Spain. ple living “This includes peo ut public in rural areas witho access to transport, taxis, or mothers supermarkets, single l day and who need to work a ful and drop need the car to pick up ool.” off their children at sch Press the Speaking to the Olive e he will teacher said: “I believ d we have do the right thing an loud and made our voices heard clear. From Aunt Sally

then spent €40 for a medical test, which is required along  He with proof of legal residency to

register on the Department of Traffic (DGT) database. then took four weeks to study (‘and study hard’) to  He pass the practical theory exam,

which cost a further €100. “And I also had to pay to get to the test centre to do it,” he adds. The centre was ‘filled From front

Smudge here in almost all other EU countries. Hudd, from Burton on Trent, has been campaigning continually since losing his right to drive. As well as contacting House of Lords peer Baroness Vere, he has been in touch with his MP Kate Griffiths, who said the government was ‘continuing to negotiate as a matter of priority’. But he remains unmoved and is demanding more direct action such as revoking all Spanish driving licences in the UK and making them take a full practical test in English. “We need to play hardball. All us expats want is a reciprocal deal. At the moment our lives are on hold,” he said. “Thanks for taking up the gauntlet on behalf of us expats who are really struggling here.” To sign the petition, so far signed by 4,364, visit petition.parliament.uk

BACK ON THE ROAD ...NEXT MONTH BRITS could be back on the road by the end of next month, claims UK Ambassador Hugh Elliott. But he is still unable to give a precise date, he admitted. While insisting licence recognition for British drivers is ‘very close to being finalised’ he added: “I still cannot give you a precise date I’m afraid.” But he said the two nations are in agreement over the core issues that have been problematic. “We’re now very close

NOW

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U T R U

to finalising the actual text of the agreement,” added Elliott, who has been ambassador in Madrid since 2019. “Our best estimate is that we are looking at a date of having you back on the road around the end of July.” He also recognised the hardships suffered by those who can no longer drive legally, especially during a heatwave when the heat makes it a less viable option to walk. "Although this is only weeks away I know it will feel like a very long time

EASY DRIVER: Mike Sedgwick took the plunge

to the gills’ and apparently it is sometimes hard to get a slot, which is why you need a driving school as they block book slots. passing the test, Mike signed up for a lesson with the driving  On school so they could ‘assess’ his driving abilities. “They were happy and decided to put me in for the first available slot at the DGT, which was around three weeks later. In the run up to the test he de-

to book five lessons to  cided help with gears (he normally

drives an automatic car) and to understand the key driving terms in Spanish. In the end you can get by with ‘around 20 words and phrases’, he estimates. The lessons cost €30 an hour and were done with two others in the car so the sessions were about three hours long. On a plus side it helped him learn the certain phrases needed to understand the examiner during the test. “But at the end of each session I was drained and tired.”

driving test itself cost €82 including use of the driving  The school car and Mike’s regular instructor explained to the examiner that he was a foreigner but was able to ‘respond to commands’ in Spanish. “We are talking about basic driving terms such as ‘derecha, izquierda, al Frente, marcha atras, primera salida, segunda salida,’ etc, and the examiner was clear in his commands!” However, Mike failed his first

and was put in for a second  test attempt two weeks later, shelling out a further €82. and slipping in two more lessons (which cost a further €150). “And I passed, whoopee!”

PASS NOTES

to many of you," he said. “I know that some of you are experiencing real difficulties.”

rk found it hard wo All in all, Mike t enjoyable and calbu and anything ordeal cost around culates the entire ok about ten weeks. €650-700 and tonerve wracking and “It was definitely ing a foreigner,” more difficult be s Mike amits. ce he passed hi He adds that sins got much busier driving school hadents and waiting with summer stuve lengthened conlists for tests ha siderably.

July 1st - July 14th 2022

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PUT YOUR SHIRT ON

lthough in the UK it is pretty common to see topless blokes out and about in the city centre on a hot day, in Palma (Mallorca) you can be fined up to €800. Walking around in swimwear when you are not on the beach in cities such as Marbella and Malaga will also land you a €200 fine.

MEET THE OP TEAM

BEWARE OF THE FUN POLICE I

F you are holidaying in Sevilla this summer, hanging your undies on the line could result in a hefty fine. Local council regulations mean that you could be charged up to €3,000 for hanging ‘indecent’ items on an outdoor washing line.

SMOKEFREE ZONE

ON’T pee in the sea! If you are in a desperate situation in Galicia, the sea is not the place to go. Urinating in the sea or on the beaches will result in a charge of €750 in Vigo.

EEING in the sea, wandering around topless… even building a sandcastle! These are just a few of the strange offences that you could be fined for on your holiday to Spain. To save you from some steep fines, we have compiled a list of some of the oddest things you are at risk of being charged for this summer.

NO KINGS OF THE CASTLE

HECK before sparking up on the beach in Spain. Recent regulation changes mean that many beaches have prohibited smoking. The regulation has already been enforced in many tourist hotspots, including Mallorca and Barcelona. Smoking on a smoke-free beach could cost you €30 (an expensive ciggy by all standards).

NO SIESTAS ON THE BEACH

F you are in Valencia this summer, an afternoon snooze on the beach is off the cards. Dozing off under the sun here can cost you up to €1,500 following health concerns from the local government.

UILDING sandcastles is normally an imperative activity for a day trip to the beach. However, in some parts of Spain, this pastime is not fun but finable. On certain beaches in Tenerife and Mallorca, building a sandcastle can land you with a fine of €100. Definitely worth keeping an extra close eye on your kids!

FLIP FLOP BAN

HE cocktail is the only sex on the beach permitted in Spain. Getting frisky on the sands is illegal and in Benidorm will cost you a whopping €750.

F you plan to hire a car on your summer holiday, make sure you have got your trainers with you! Getting caught driving wearing flip flops or stilettos, or sandals without an ankle support (or being barefoot) can attract a fine of €200.

ENGINE ROOM

E’S very much the unsung hero of the Olive Press. Through recessions, pandemics and the dreaded winter slump, Charlie Bamber is never far from the front lines. With a head for numbers and an excellent grasp of business, the Olive Press’ commercial director has skillfully guided the group’s expansion over the last decade. Whether in Mallorca, Moraira or Mijas, he’s always got an unshakeable understanding for each local economy and how best to serve our clients there. No request is ignored and he is more than happy to tweak his advertisers’ copy just hours before we go to print, not to mention help them with an advertorial. A boots-on-the-ground kind of fellow, he was the man we tasked with launching in the Costa Blanca north and south regions, as well as Valencia city, over the last five years. And on top of that, he’s been the guiding light of our online paywall - that grows by the hundreds every month - and already counts on 30,000 registered users. So what makes Charlie tick? Inheriting a solid work ethic from his ad man father, he left university to work for 15 years at News International in London. Climbing up the commercial ladder he had become the Assistant Ad Manager of the Sun by his 35th birthday, before switching to run the newspaper’s operation in Spain in 2004. As well as representing Golf Monthly, Country Life and the Telegraph in Spain, he agreed to help take the Olive Press to new levels way back in 2010. And what a journey it has been from the first Axarquia supplement treading the streets of Nerja, near his home in Torre del Mar, to securing a nationwide deal with the country’s leading English insurance broker Jennifer Cunningham at her head office in Javea. Make sure to get in touch with him for any advice on integrated print and online ad campaigns, wherever you are in Spain. And look out for him at a pub near you for any Liverpool games (in fact any big football games) next season. Charles@theolivepress.es

The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are:

SEX ON THE BEACH

Watch out: 9 Things you could be fined for this summer in Spain, writes Livia Cockerell

DON’T HANG YOUR KNICKERS ON THE LINE

AVOID SPENDING A PENNY

VALUE: Charlie’s wild ride in the news industry

PUT THE SHAMPOO AWAY

POST swim shower is always much needed but you will have to make do without shower gel or shampoo. Using these products in a beach shower could cost you €750 due to the risks the chemicals pose to marine life.

cabin crew cannot strike on 1- Why Ryanairmany flights in Spain never buy pre-cut fruit and 2- Why youvegshould at supermarkets in Spain crews in Spain joining rya3- Easy jetnaircabin colleagues in strike action Ryanair claims cabin crew strikes will be 4-relatively insignificant in disrupting summer holiday flights EXCLUSIVE: Madeleine Mccann suspects 5-update: Extradition request begins in Italy for Christian Brueckner over five new cases

Get in touch today at sales@theolivepress.es or call us at 00 34 951273575 for more info

GREEN

www.theolivepress.es

Zoned out

Polluting cars to be banned from city centres HIGH polluting older cars will be banned from city centres in Spain next year with the creation of low emission zones. The deadline for the new regulations to come into force is the end of the year and covers cities with over 50,000 residents. Barcelona introduced low emission zones in 2020 during peak times. Essentially petrol cars with a pre-2000 registration fall under restrictions in the city, with pre-2006 registered diesel cars also covered with drivers facing a fine of between €100 and €500 each time they enter the zone. The low-emissions zone was designed to complement the city’s so-called ‘superblocks scheme’, in which areas made up of nine blocks are closed to through traffic and partly pedestrianised.

Mossy Menor A €7 million emergency plan has swung into action after the Mar Menor became choked with six times more algae then it normally gets in a year. On average, between 1,600 and 1,700 tonnes of biomass are removed from the lagoon in Murcia annually. But so far in 2022, over 10,509 tonnes of biomass have been removed. Experts state that this is due to an increase in nitrogen and phosphate levels which promote the growth of algae. The excessive growth puts wildlife at threat due to it reducing oxygen levels. Local councils have spent between €5 million and €7 million to urgently remove the algae before environmental disaster strikes.

By Alex Trelinski

The World Health Organisation says there are only seven Spanish cities that meet established air quality parameters. The DGT move is seen as a major inducement for motorists to switch to less-pol-

luting vehicles, including electric cars. Electric car prices are higher than conventional fuel-driven vehicles and there are still comparatively few electric charging points. The government is banking on the new emission zone restrictions to boost the electric car market.

July 1st - July 14th 2022

COOL PLAN Madrid has unveiled plans for a ‘wind garden’ capable of lowering temperatures. The 14.5 hectare park is part of redesign for the Charmartin station area in the north of the city, with a wind garden that captures the breeze and recycles, dramatically reducing the air temperature by up to 4C. The idea is inspired by air cooling methods popular in parks across the Middle East. Wildlife in the garden will include fern and moss rising above the treetops to capture air from above and disperse it below. It will also have the knock on effect of helping to cool down temperatures in surrounding streets.

PREVIEW: How the park will look Dutch architecture studio West 8 will be constructing the project, the same company which redesigned London’s Jubilee Gardens in 2012.

The need to transition to renewable energy Green

ARE THE LIGHTS GOING OUT?

OVERNMENTS have a habit of disguising the truth and leaking out snippets of bad news early on. It’s in their DNA. It has been medically proven that politicians can’t even lie straight in bed. This Spring the Spanish Minister for Energy, Teresa Ribera, posted an article about the need for us all to conserve power and change our consumption habits. At the end of her message was the implication that this winter WE COULD FACE POWER OUTAGES. ENERGY SECURITY You will have seen across all media references to this topic. What does it actually mean? The IEA (International Energy Agency) defines energy security as: “The uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price.” Picking this apart, the affordable price already lies

in tatters. Just look at a recent electricity bill to reconfirm this. Uninterrupted availability also looks doubtful. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, the world’s energy supply chain is in complete disarray. It is not rocket science. It is simply supply and demand. The National Grid has the capability to produce a certain amount of electricity. If demand exceeds availability, then the lights go out. Spain is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels (notably gas) to produce electricity. The lunatic Putin’s ability to turn off the tap and the less than cohesive relationship Spain has with Algeria are grounds for concern. (As an aside I think we should turn off the tap with Russia….but that’s a different story.) POWER CUTS Some 4% of the world’s population (350 million people) faced major power outages last year. My money is on that figure getting smashed this year and next. Increased extreme weather events have contributed to this (yes…..climate change) and the all too slow transition to renewable energy. Look at just a few of the recent world events. A winter storm that hit Texas hard knocked out infrastructure and caused energy markets to be affected. Low rainfall in Brazil and south China (the manufacturing hub of the world) reduced the hydro-power output. China had to resort to power rationing. Across Europe, wind speeds were exceptionally low resulting in lower than normal electricity production.

AUSTRIA Long before the Russian invasion in Ukraine, last November, the Austrian Defence Minister announced that Austria was preparing for major electrical blackouts. That put the cat amongst the pigeons! In Spain it prompted shoppers to buy gas stoves, butane canisters and flashlights. Hardware stores sold out. UK Ministers (as reported on Sky news) have drawn up plans to potentially ration electricity supply for up to 6 million homes at the start of next year. As always, cuts will come at the times of peak demand - when you need it most. Yet, last month, a Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Stategy spokesperson claimed the UK had no issues with electricity or gas supply. Confused?? It’s simple really. Do you believe a politician, or your own common sense? WE CANNOT USE IT IF WE LOSE IT. As humans, we see what we want. Maybe the lights going out may just help us focus on the need to transition to a renewable world.

Martin Tye is the owner of energy switch company Mariposa Energy. +34 638145664 ( Spain Phone ) Email him at martin@mariposaenergia.es

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LA CULTURA

July 1st July 14th 2022

THE birthplace of celebrated Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca will come to life with dramatised tours this summer. A group of students and amatuer actors known as ‘Las Valkirias de la Vega’ from Fuente Vaqueros, a farming village in the province of Granada will liven up Spanish canonical literature for tourists and offer a totally different way to experience the story of Lorca. The script is the culmination of extensive research

BACK TO LIFE

including interviews with elderly residents and prominent members of the community of the Granada village. The experience fully immerses the audience in what the pueblo of Fuente Vaqueros would have been like at the time the iconic Andalucian writer lived there, before being executed by fascist forces during the Civil War in 1936.

Unexpected finds Search for Civil War victim unearths Visigothic remains THE search for the remains of a teenage woman executed by Franco’s fascist forces for her temerity in embroidering a Republican flag has found a body. But it is not that of Lourdes Malon Pueyo, who was just 18 when she was shot dead as she attempted to flee across a mountain. The body found is in fact that of a young man aged between 20 and 30 – and dates back to between 475 and 620 AD

EARN UP TO

By Dilip Kuner

during the Visigothic occupation of the region. The find is just one of many archaeological remains searchers have found in a 3700m2 plot which they have been scouring in their bid to find Lourdes. Her sister, Rosario, 23 died the same day in 1936, executed inside a cave where she had taken shelter with Lourdes. Their mother had been shot dead several days earlier, while brother Mariano escaped to Huelva, where he died in 1999. Starting in 2013, five archaeological expeditions TRAGIC: Rosario, Mariano and Lourdes were held to

£1,064 PER WEEK! find the young women. Rosario was found in 2017, but the search went on for Lourdes. Sponsored by the Charata Association for the Recovery of the Historical Memory of Uncastillo – a village of 800 people in Zaragoza – the search has uncovered a series of unexpected finds. The remains of the young man turn out to be associated with a previously unknown Hispano-Visigothic settlement.

Lost

What’s more, walls from the ‘lost’ Medieval monastery of San Esteban de Oraste have been found, as well as the Visigothic tomb, ceramics

Cloppity clop THE ancestral Andalucian tradition of releasing hundreds of semi-wild horses back into their natural habitat, the Doñana Natural Area, took place again on Sunday after a two year absence due to Covid. The Saca de las Yeguas (Taking of the Mares) has remained unchanged for over 500 years. Each year, local horsemen known as yegüerizos, trek into the swamps and marshes of Doñana National Park in the province of Huelva. There they round up hundreds of semi-wild horses, and take them to aution, releasing the unsold ones back into the wild.

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from the same period, a bell fragment and a set of coins from the 11th century. In the search for Lourdes and Rosario, archaeologists had used ground-penetrating radar – which revealed the unexpected archaeological remains, as detailed in the report El yacimiento arqueológico de las Peñas de Santo Domingo: las fases de ocupación hispanovisigoda y plenomedieval. But despite the wealth of finds, Lourdes – the reason the search was launched – remains missing to this day.

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LA CULTURA

GETTING AHEAD

July 1st - July 14th 2022

Talent, respect for tradition, and a great sense of humour is proving to be the recipe for success for Sevilla’s most indemand artists

EVILLA is famous for its ceramic art. It’s impossible not to marvel at the antique tiles lining the city’s churches, palaces – and bars. You can learn about the history of ceramics at the Centro Ceramica Triana, but for traditional ceramics with a playful modern twist, seek out The Exvotos. Two artists from Sevilla, Luciano Galan and Daniel Maldonado, work together (and speak together) as The Exvotos, and are taking the art world by storm. Their ceramic sculptures have been snapped up by galleries and private collectors as far afield as Australia, North America and Taiwan, and sit in many private homes, public institutions, convents and

churches across their home city. The cabeza recipientes, container heads, (beautiful with a kicker of kitsch), are the most in-demand pieces of a collection of work that uses Spain’s heritage of art and religion as a springboard, but then goes its own way. Galan and Maldonado have a workshop in Sevilla, hidden in one of those narrow streets north of Las Setas and south of Mercado de Feria. The giant ceramic heart at the entrance, and the strains of music coming from inside – usually classical, sometimes a bit of Cuban, depending on whether or not they need to concentrate – give it away. Everything inside it is fascinating, from the salvaged wooden furniture to the terracotta heads in various stages of gestation staring blankly from the shelves. Sculptures, from the secular to saints and flamenco clowns, are posed under the kind of glass bell jars the Victorians used for displaying stuffed birds. “Here we call the jars fanales. We love them!” When people step into this world, “they are delighted and we are proud. To create beautiful objects you have to surround yourself

OP QUICK CROSSWORD 1

4 7

Across 6 Sedentary kind of General (8) 8 Something of little value (4) 9 Dogma (5) 10 Look up to (6) 11 Activity necessary for scaling Everest (4,8) 13 Disturbed men only met up for inactivity (12) 16 The --- Flyer, first heavier-than-air powered aircraft (6) 18 “If It --- Been For Love” (Adele song) (5) 19 It’s rolled towards a jack (4) 20 In a manner free from danger (8)

OP SUDOKU

Down 1 Members of a flock (8) 2 Beautiful (6) 3 Car exhaust pollutants (12) 4 Organized group of criminals (3,3) 5 “The Sign of ---” (Conan Doyle) (4) 7 It brings one back to Earth (7,5) 12 Don’t mention it (3,2,3) 14 Business big shots (6) 15 Venerated townspeople (6) 17 Chamber (4)

All solutions are on page 12

By Sorrel Downer with beauty. We are still working on the decoration, but I think we can call the look, a ‘cabinet of curiosities’.” The two artists are, much like their art, part serious, part funny, and deeply rooted in the classical tradition. Both went to Sevilla’s Escuela de Arte, then won grants to study abroad. Galan, who studied wood carving, sculpture, and clay modelling, travelled to Venice to learn Venetian mask-making techniques. Maldonado, who studied ceramic painting, went to Lisbon to work in 18th century TRUE ART: Galan (below) and Maldonado with their creations ceramic art restoration. Returning to Sevilla in 2001, they combined their complementary skills. “It sounds very romantic to say it, but we are really now in a situation where our life is art and our work is our life.” The name ‘Exvotos’ comes from the tradition of offering something in thanks for divine intervention. An ex-voto might be a painting showing the miracle giver in the act of sorting out a problem; a painting or statue of the helpful saint; or an object retoreros and admirals, and others lating to the miracle itself. Over includes paintings, wall hanginspired by Greek mythology, inthe centuries, mariners and fishings, candelabra, lamp stands, cluding an unsettling Medusa erman have left models of ships and candlesticks on which faces and a Neptune, the back of his and boats in churches all along and torsos emerge out of the cehead encrusted with clams, and the Spanish coast in thanks for ramic like figureheads on a ship, with coral as a crown. returning alive; farmers have left and collections of hand-painted They make the popular ex-voto figures of animals; and arms, plates – though surely no-one body parts (‘we legs and torsos dares to put food on them? “We have feet, hands, cut out of tin or have clients who keep them only eyes . . . it's funzinc have been for decoration, but others who Some of the ny when people left by those cured give lunches using our pieces,” container ask how much an of disease. they say, “and we eat off them ear costs!’), and Some objects heads have the there are statues too!” are grand, but Everything is hand-crafted, start most are folk art, look of women of saints, rang- to finish. For ceramic sculptures, ing from 32-65 humble and a that process can take up to 90 at a feria cm, and starting little home-spun. days to complete, from pencil around €600. These days, ex-vosketch to miniature 3D model, Their saints are tos are more likely through to modelling, drying, traditional, respectful and exquito be plaster casts, baby shoes glazing, firing, decorating and site – but also endearing and and football shirts. There is a big painting. funny. Studying them closely, it’s collection outside the Capilla del Unsurprisingly, the waiting list hard to work out why. They are Señor de la Puerta Real in Jerez. for private commissions is long. similar to the antique figurines Popular religious art is a central Some assignments can be chalyou might see in a church or muinfluence, but the idea of ex-votos lenging: “Our strangest so far seum, but there is something in exists all over the world and prewas a painted ex-voto dedicated the exaggerated gestures of their dates Christianity. The famous to the Virgin of Guadalupe by hands, the hint of a double chin, cabezas, for example, were ina wonderful lady who lost her and the attitude in their glossy spired by terracotta heads the partner through the fault of his faces, that sets them apart. Romans made for their ancient children,” they say. “We had to They are reverent . . . gods. synthesise that story into a but with a guiñon, a Further inspiration comes wooden panel.” wink. from theatre, opera, and Galan and Maldonado “On the one from films: “Classic movwork internationally, with hand, we ies like Cleopatra, Saminterior designers who have tradison and Delilah, and Bitgive them ‘the freedom tional training ter Rice as well as good to let our inspiration take – we know the recent ones, like Portrait us wherever it wants’. methods, the 17th of a Lady on Fire and Closer to home, their pacentury techniques, Joker. We watch cycles of trons include the Marbella and the pieces Italian, French, Japanese, Club, where ‘we conwe make and, of course, Spantinue to collaborate have ish cinema”. The in bringing dreams a bright and joyous to life – for examambiance of sunple, we had an ny southern Spain idea for a fireplace gravitas,” say also feeds into the creand we were able to do the artists. ative mix. it there. This year, we’ll “On the othSome of the container be working in the hotel’s er hand, we heads have the look of beach club’. You’ll also have a great women at a feria with find their pieces on the sense of hutheir rouged cheeks and exvotos.com website, mour, and while we coronas of flowers . . . or and Instagram (@theexhave enormous respect fruit. The heads are hollow, votos). for tradition and we and can be used for flowdon’t want to offend, ers, and come in different Visits to the studio are we do like to have sizes, the biggest standing by appointment only. fun.” around 32 cm, and costing Tel +34 670 58 66 09; The collection also €700 €800. There are also info@theexvotos.com

BUSINESS Race to host F1 July 1st July 14th 2022

Madrid plans to snatch Grand Prix from Barcelona MADRID wants to host the Spanish Grand Prix after the current Formula One contract with the Circuit de Barcelona expires. The regional government has sent a letter of intent to Stefano Domenicali, CEO of Formula One, to confirm an interest in joining the sport’s expanding calendar. Regional minister Enrique Lopez said in the letter: “I believe that holding in Madrid a motor racing event, which is one of the most exciting sporting phenom-

By Kimberley Mannion

ena of our time, would be a success for all the professionals, institutions and companies involved in the development of Formula 1. It comes after F1 authorities warned the promoters of the Spanish Grand Prix to fix its ‘unacceptable’ traffic and organisational issues after a number of problems emerged at the Barcelona race this year. The move has been antici-

GREEN LIGHT: Hosting a F1 race is a status symbol

pated since regional president Isabel Diaz Ayuso sponsored the revamp of

REACHING FOR THE SKY THE battle to become home of the Spanish Space Agency has been ignited between Madrid and Sevilla. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has stated that there will be an operating headquarters of the Spanish Space Agency by 2023. Sanchez also said that as part of decentralisation efforts, the headquarters will not be located in Madrid. Despite this, President of Madrid Isabel Diaz Ayuso has written to the Prime Minister to outline her city’s desire to become the centre of Spanish space work. But Sevilla is determined it will be the host,

having applied months ago as part of the national decentralisation process. In a letter to Sanchez, Ayuso asked him to reconsider the necessity of having the site based outside Madrid, and allow the capital city to be part of the hosting race. This prompted a response from the Mayor of Sevilla, Antonio Muñoz, who fired back that the supposed decentralisation process would not be one if the agency ended up in Madrid. Muñoz stated: “Sevilla is the most prepared city, with the most potential and ability to be the headquarters of the Spanish Space Agency.”

Madrid’s Jarama race circuit which reopened in February. Rather than the existing Jarama circuit, a new track could be built at Morata de Tajuña, south east of Madrid, where land has already been earmarked for the project.

Interest

Other regions in Spain have also expressed an interest in hosting the race. Alcañiz in the region of Aragon and Jerez de la Frontera in Andalucia have both thrown their hats in the ring, while authorities in Barcelona said they want to renew the contract.

BOUNCING BACK T

GBP/EUR exchange rate rebounds from one-year low following BoE rate decision, writes Peter Loveday

HE pound euro (GBP/EUR) exchange rate continued to trade with notable volatility through the second half of June in response to a Bank of England (BoE) rate decision and European energy concerns. Over the last two weeks, GBP/EUR fell to a one-year low of €1.14 before swiftly rebounding to around €1.16.

WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING? The past couple of weeks have seen the GBP/EUR exchange rate trade in a wide range, with the pairing briefly striking a one-year low. This slump came in response to some lacklustre UK economic data, coupled with Brexit jitters amidst the renewed threat of a UK-EU trade war. However, the pound was then able to rebound sharply in response to the Bank of England’s latest rate decision. While the BoE opted for another modest 25 basis point hike this month, GBP investors seized on the bank’s hints that future hikes could be more aggressive. Since then the pound has continued to fluctuate as a modest rise in UK inflation caused GBP Investors to further revise their BoE rate hike bets. The second half of June initially saw the euro firm as it benefited from risk-off flows. This uptick in the single currency was underpinned by some hawkish comments from European Central Bank (ECB) policymakers, who bolstered expectations for an aggressive rate hike from the bank in September. EUR exchange rates faced some headwinds as a result of renewed concerns over European energy security, amidst a sharp drop in Russian gas exports to the continent. The euro was also dented by the publication of the Eurozone’s latest PMI figures after they reported growth in the bloc’s private sector slowed sharply in June.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO LOOK OUT FOR? As June comes to a close its likely we will see similar catalysts of movement continue to influence the GBP/EUR exchange rate, with recession fears and the war in Ukraine also likely to continue to infuse volatility in the pairing. The pound could struggle to attract support amidst political uncertainty in the UK. With Brexit and ongoing questions over the future of Boris Johnson’s premiership likely to limit Sterling’s upside potential. For EUR investors a key focus at the end of this month will be the Eurozone’s latest CPI print. Another jump in inflation could buoy the euro as it places more pressure on the ECB to take action. The start of July will then see the focus turn to the ECB’s latest interest rate decision, in which the bank is set to raise interest rates by 25bps points. While the increase is largely priced in by EUR investors, the focus will be on how the bank plans to handle fragmentation in the Eurozone as well as its forward guidance for an expected hike in September. Any further hints that a 50bps hike may be on the cards could boost EUR exchange rates. PROTECTING AGAINST VOLATILITY This kind of volatility can cause some nasty surprises if you need to transfer money overseas. On a £200,000 transfer, just a onecent gap translates to a €2,000 difference. And the larger the sum, the higher the discrepancy. Fortunately, there are ways that you can protect against volatility. Specialist currency brokers, such as Currencies Direct, offer tools to help you navigate the ups and downs of the currency market. For instance, you can use a forward contract to secure an exchange rate for up to a year. This way, you won’t lose out if the market moves against you. Services like rate alerts and daily updates make it easy to keep track of what’s going on in the forex world so that you can make informed decisions. And with Currencies Direct you’ll have a dedicated account manager there to provide guidance and support whenever you need them. At Currencies Direct we’re here to talk currency whenever you need us, so get in touch if you want to know more about the latest news or how it could impact your currency transfers. Since 1996 we’ve helped more than 325,000 customers with their currency transfers, just pop into your local Currencies Direct branch or give us a call to find out more.

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PROPERTY

July 1st July 14th 2022

SQUATTERS WRONGS

SECOND home owners in the Baleares have been warned of a risk of squatters moving in. This week the General Council of Real Estate Agents in Spain expressed concerns following a rise in the number of ‘okupas’ in Spain. Second home owners in the Baleares, Catalunya, the Canary Islands, Murcia, Valencia and Madrid are most at risk. Estate agents claim that the laws are unclear and do not favour property owners. Jaime Cabrero, President of COAPI (Consejo general de Colegios Oficiales de Agentes de la Propiedad Inmo-

SQUATTERS: problem for second home owners biliaria de España) stated that it is necessary to find a long-term solution as it is currently extremely costly and time-consuming to evict squatters. He also stressed the need for clearer legal definitions of terms such as ‘private property’ and ‘usurpation’.

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THE cost of renting a seafront home for your holiday has risen by an average 9.7% this summer and will set you back more than €1,000 a week. According to TECNITASA, a valuation, consultancy and sustainability company, the average price has gone up from €926 last year to €1,016 on average for a flat in July and August. In 2020 the cost

By Dilip Kuner

was €826 a week. Jose Maria Basañez, president of TECNITASA said: “The increases in recent years mean that families with more limited resources have to reduce the number of days they spend on holiday or look for smaller flats further away from the beach. He added: “However, the most privileged locations, such as Illa a Toxa in Pontevedra, Puerto Banus in Marbella, Cadaques in Girona and Ibiza in the Balearic Islands, which have very high prices, continue to be in demand, and are practically fully booked.” The biggest rises have been seen in Catalunya. Tarragona has seen a 15.2% rise. A 60m2

first-line flat in Salou will set you back €1,370 a week. Barcelona province saw an average increase of 9.5% compared to 2021, with an 80 m2 rental costing €1,600. However, at the other end of the scale is Murcia, where there have been falls in the asking price for holiday rentals. The most expensive flats are

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INVESTMENT in property leases in Spain has grown by 6.5% in the first five months of 2022 compared to the same period last year. New leasing investments on real estate reached €2722 million on private property. In Madrid, €532 million was spent on property leasing contracts, and €525 million in Caltalunya.. President of the Spanish Leasing and Renting Association (AELR) Jose Coronel de Palma concluded that ‘the leasing market shows growth during 2022, despite the uncertainties of the global circumstances’.

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in Paseo de las Delicias in Aguilas, which cost €1,100 for 90m2 metres, and in Puerto de Mazarron, where the price is €875 for around 80 m2. For those with fatter wallets, the Port of Ibiza has prices reaching €2,500 a week for 100 m2. Puerto Banus in Marbella (pictured) is another hotspot for high prices. Renting 90 metres will set you back €2,700 a week.

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FOOD, DRINK & TRAVEL

July 1st July 14th 2022

Silent flight

SPAIN’s first electric plane has made its inaugural flight after taking off from Sabadell Airport, near Barcelona. The eco-friendly plane, weighing just 500kg has space for just the pilot and one passenger, is 100% electric and makes virtually no noise. Once fully charged the Velis Electro biplaza can fly for around one hour, plus the propeller action can recharge the battery as it flies and add to the flight time. It has joined the fleet of the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell and will be used to ‘revolutionise’ pilot training.

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ELECTRIC!: The two-seater plane The Mayor of Sabadell, Marta Farrés, joined the pilot on a ten minute flight over the town in what she described as an ‘extraordinary experience’.

A taste of the past RECIPES dating back to 13th Century Cordoba have been given a try out by a London-based celebrity chef husband and wife team. Owners of Moro restaurant, Sam and Samantha Clark, have been experimenting with dishes from a unique 800-year-old Moorish-Andalucian cookbook. The manuscript of Ibn Razin al-Tujibi’s recipe book was discovered in the British Library back

WINE TREAT WINE lovers are in for a treat this month. The Poc a Poc Wine Fair, will be held on July 10 from 11am to 7pm. To sample the latest vintages head over to Lundgren Wines at Gremi Fusters 45 in Palma. There will be more than 25 producers of natural wine represented, plus a selection of food and drinks from Mallorca’s very best suppliers. Tickets cost €15 plus a €5 deposit on the tasting glass. Organisers ask visitors to bring cards and cash to the event.

Andalucia’s ancient Arabic cookbook given new lease of life in 2018. Originally, it was thought to be an ancient Moorish medical journal. However, following further translation and research, experts found that the manuscript contains around 475 recipes from the Moors. Best of Delectable Foods and Dishes from al-Andalus and al-Magh-rib is one of the two surviving cookbooks from the Muslim-Andalucian world, a period in which the Moors had their most significant impact on Spanish cuisine.

admiration for the Moors saying: “How they managed by eye without thermometres is incredible.”

Moors

The writer was born in the city of Murcia back in 1227 and wrote this cookbook 32 years later, following the exile of the Moors. In the introduction he described that Andalucians are ‘advanced in creating the most delectable dishes’. Since the manuscript was translated into English last year, the Clarks’ have worked to tackle some of its fascinating recipes from this book. Currently, they are working towards a public event with the British Library for which they will reproduce four of Razin al-Tujibi’s’

SKILLED CHEFS: Sam and Samanth Clark

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Ready to go THE hugely popular British high street sandwich and coffee chain Pret A Manger is to open 70 outlets across Spain and Portugal. The announcement is part of grand expansion plans to double the size of the restaurant group. Despite its French sounding name, Pret is a very British invention founded by Sinclair Beecham who opened the first Pret in London’s Victoria in 1986. Pret has entered into a franchise partnership deal with Ibersol Group, which already operates over 600 restaurants on the Iberian Peninsula including brands such as Pans & Company and FrescCo, as well as licenses for Burger King, Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell.

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ancient recipes. When attempting to create the halwa recipe (a sweet nougat-like confectionary), Sam Clark expressed his

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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

July 1st - July 14th 2022

Pictures and words by Jo Chipchase

TAKE AIM: Thousands flock to the streets for San Juan

SPLASH HAPPY

The fiesta of San Juan returns to the spa town of Lanjaron

PAIN is known for some oddball fiestas that go way beyond enjoying drinks and music with friends in the village plaza. While the town of Buñol in Valencia celebrates its annual ‘La Tomatina’ tomato fight, and Pamploma hosts the Running of the Bulls - where 16 participants have been gored since 1910 - the spa town of Lanjaron, in the Alpujarra of Granada, is famed for its crazy water race that takes place on June 23, to coincide with San

By Jo Chipchase

Juan. One of Andalucia’s most popular fiestas, revellers run a 1.5km route through the centre of town, while being blasted with cold water from municipal fire hoses. It is said that a million litres of water can SOAKED: The Lanjaron fiesta is a be deposited during the hour-long race, unique spectacle which has been known to attract 15,000 people when it falls on a Friday or Saturday night. This year, it attracted 8,000 and due to its popularity, guests must buy a wristband for €5 to participate – a E all want to make the most of the summer but apart from thinking about the beach, on vacations, or about that dreamed trip, it’s important that we all take the necessary steps to ensure our homes stay safe and secure. Unfortunately, the probability of being burglarized or robbed at home is tender to be higher during the summer! As we are likely to spend more time away from home, even for days if we plan to go on holiday, we want to give you some tips on how to minimise the chances of your home being burgled and, in the unfortunate event that it does happen, to make sure you're covered!

BE PREPARED

Get your home ready for summer

● Talk to your insurance agent to make sure that your contents cover are properly calculated, including furniture, white good and electronic appliances, clothes, jewelry, personal belongings, etc. ● Make sure that your doors and windows are in good condition and check all locks are working and get a home security system to help reduce the chance of being a burglary victim. ● Make your home look lived in, for example, you could invest in some timer switches for your lights to give the impression that someone is home. ● Ask your neighbours or a friend to keep watch of your home and collect the post from your postbox ● Create a list of emergency contacts if anything was to go wrong in your home. ● Don’t share holiday plans or pictures on social media or adjust your privacy settings to make sure you are not sharing personal information with the wrong people ● Beware of squatters! Make sure your home insurance covers the Legal Defense in case of illegal occupation of the property But in summer, it's not just a possible burglary of your home that you need to watch out for. There are small inconveniences that come with the heat, such as annoying pests and insects!! Fortunately, there are home insurance policies that include pest control, fumigation, and disinfection services. In summer we also like to enjoy our home outdoors, and it is interesting to have a cover for our garden furniture, even for the garden itself, in case of a summer storm! You may also have a second home for holiday rentals. In that case, make sure that you have a specific cover for holiday rentals, including public liability for your guests. LIBERTY SEGUROS has adapted its Home Insurance plans to provide solutions that best suit your individual requirements giving you the option of being covered for all these eventualities. Understanding that every customer’s needs are unique, it has created additional coverages to allow you to enhance and complement your home insurance cover. Regardless of the plan you choose, you can now add Optional Packs to your home insurance to ensure your plan is perfectly tailored to you. What’s more, if you are a new LIBERTY SEGUROS client and take out a Home, Car, or Life policy now and until the 26th of July, you will receive 30€ Cashback on your first policy and 60€ from the second policy onwards, or 60€ Cashback on each new policy if you are already a customer. For more information, simply call or visit one of the more than 300 LIBERTY SEGUROS qualified brokers and agents. They are available to provide friendly and expert advice, in plain English, about the best coverages and options to suit your specific needs. LIBERTY SEGUROS team can help you to find the cover that will be perfect for you. Visit libertyexpatriates.es to find the name and details of your nearest agent!

measure introduced in 2017 for crowd control. The race begins at the stroke of midnight and ends at 1am, while a calmer children’s run occurs in the daytime, attracting many local families. Always a colourful spectacle, originating in 1979, locals were finally back again after the two year pandemic, celebrating their fiesta in style. While groups of 20-somethings wheeled buckets of

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tinto de verano and sangria around, older people danced in the street sharing plates of arroz. Local businesses told the Olive Press they were particularly busy, with a big influx of tourists from abroad and around Spain. The receptionist at Hotel Andalucia said she had not stopped checking guests in all day, while Bernard Campos of Mundo de Vinylo had his hands full printing fiesta-related t-shirts. “It’s great to see such a community spirit, now that the pandemic has ended, and we can have our fiestas again,” said Verna Coggins, a resident of Cadiar. Lanjaron expat Alistair Camberlin added: “June is my favourite time of year because everyone comes together to celebrate one of the best fiestas in Spain.” Estate agent Matthew Wood said: “It’s great to see the real spirit of Lanajron back in full swing. The event is well organised and puts Lanajron on the map for tourism. “These events bring in thousands of people and show off the town’s benefits.” At the stroke of midnight, while some people hid from the craziness - behind carefully sealed doors in the town’s various hotels - others donned swimsuits or rain macs to run down the main street. Some had dressed as nuns and priests. Chants of ‘Seven Nation Army’ and ‘Mucho Agua’ were heard resonating through the town, as the revellers headed towards the plaza, to enjoy DJs at a ‘Water Party’ that continued with banging techno music into the early hours. As well as the famous water fight, other attractions of Lanjaron’s San Juan fiesta include the ‘Publica’ (fancy dress parade), that always takes place on the Saturday, a water-throwing contest in the main street, and a challenge to climb a greasy pole to dislodge a jamon serrano.

HEALTH

Fresh jabbing

A NEW round of Covid booster jabs will be available to everybody in Spain from this autumn. The fourth shots will feature improvements to the vaccine to take account of variants like Omicron. Covid case numbers are low due to the country's successful vaccination programme. The highest number of cases are in those aged over 60, with the cumulative incidence standing at 590, compared to 3,400 last Christmas. Health Minister, Carolina Darias, described hospital occupancy caused by the coronavirus as ‘tremendously stable’ accounting for 5% of beds. Figures show that the risk of hospitalisation in those aged over 60 was cut by 63% in the first two months of 2022, and deaths were down by 57% in that same period - all down to vaccinations.

High time Spain moves step closer to allowing medical marijuana

SPAIN’S lawmakers have moved a step closer to allowing chemists to dispense medical marijuana. Congress has approved recommendations by Spain’s Medicines Agency, which will now need to be rubber-stamped by Spain’s Health Commission. The majority of political parties (excluding PP and Vox) voted in favour of the report. The proposal outlines conditions that will allow doctors to prescribe cannabis with THC - the psychoactive

DOCTORS at a Madrid hospital have discovered a new way to slow down the progression of dementia. The team from Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre have detected a protein, which could play a vital role in the slowing down of Alzheimer’s. It is hoped this new knowledge could be the foundation upon which to develop new therapies for the disease. The successful study followed 155 vol-

JOINT EFFORT: Ruling parties push measure through By Livia Cockerell

component that makes you feel ‘high’ - for therapeutic purposes. It calls for the establishment of a centralised registry of the patients entitled

Dementia hope unteers with the genetic mutation that causes Alzheimer’s and 93 healthy relatives over periods of between two and 15 years, since dementia starts to develop in the body years before symptoms become apparent. The healthy group possessed a much higher amount of the protein.

to use it. The text emphasises the need to ensure that this policy does not result in an overall increase in cannabis consumption outside of a medical context. Moreover, it states that, for now, the policy will focus on people suffering from epilepsy, nausea as a result of chemotherapy, endometriosis, multiple sclerosis, ontological and non-ontological pain.

Benefit

Spain’s Observatory of Medicinal Cannabis (OECM) believes that therapeutic use of cannabis could benefit an estimated 300,000 people.

July 1st - July 14th 2022

Cholera denial SPAIN’S national health ministry has rejected claims by regional authorities that a case of cholera has been detected for the first time in more than 40 years. A farm in Toledo province was sealed off while Castilla-La Mancha authorities investigated the source after reports that a child had contracted cholera after drinking from a well. But, Spain’s central Health Ministry insisted that in fact, the girl was suffering vibrio gastroenteritis and not cholera as first thought. “After the corresponding analyses, it has been determined that the pathogenic agent in this case is non-toxigenic vibrio cholerae 01 and, therefore, it is not considered a case of cholera, but of vibrio gastroenteritis,” said a health ministry spokesman. The last cholera outbreak in Spain originated in the North African enclave of Melilla in 1979.

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OLIVE PRESS EXTRA AD - COSTA BLANCA NORTE / VALENCIA - PROMO 2 - Half page 170 X 256 - JUNE 16 & 30, 2022

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FINAL WORDS

FARMERS are demanding increased police patrols in Murcia's Lorca area after 1,000 kilos of mellons were stolen last week for sale on the black market.

Lovesick A 20-YEAR-OLD Alicante woman has been arrested for faking her own kidnapping in an attempt to attract the attention of her young boyfriend.

Tourist boost ORIHUELA will spend €3 million boosting tourism using EU money set aside for Covid pandemic recovery on tourist information, increased car parking, and encouraging more low season visitors to come to the area.

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www.theolivepress.es July 1st - July 14th 2022

International open-air festival goes decidedly local this year IT has become Spain’s most famous open-air art festival, renowned for putting up foreign artists and sculptors as they create a specific work for the event. But after organisers of Genalgaucil’s famous Art Encounters sifted through 174

applications from 14 countries from artists wanting to take part, they went decidedly local. All seven allotted artists this year are from Spain. The jury for the festival, in which the village streets are turned into an open-air gallery

HE is known to be a fan of the UK Home Counties and a close mate of hellraiser Johnny Depp. But it’s not exactly clear why film director Tim Burton has become an ‘Ambassador of Madrid’, an award given for ‘services to the city’. The ex-husband of Helena Bonham Carter has no obvious connections to the city, aside from a planned exhibition of his visual work.

ATTRACTIONS: Art is dotted through the streets from August 1 to 15, examined bids from as far and wide as Italy, Argentina, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Peru and Guatemala.

Gone for a Burton

While famous for movies, including Batman, Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare before Christmas, none were filmed in Madrid. He is not known to own property in the city or have done anything to promote its culture, parks or history.

A jury spokesman from the village, between Estepona and Ronda, explained that the selection process was ‘very difficult and hard-fought due to the large number of projects with more than enough quality to be among those selected.’ But when it came down to the nitty-gritty the jury dismissed the international entrants and chose an all-Spanish ensemble - Julio Falagan, Marta Galindo, Mar Guerrero, Gala Knörr, Jesus Madriñán, Jose Manuel Martinez and Javier Palacios. All of them will live in the town for a few weeks, with all expenses paid.

AIR Nostrum has ordered 10 blimp-like airships to fly passengers around Spain. The UK-made Airlander 10s which cut emissions by 90% are set to run from 2026. The airline operates as a franchise of Iberia with 91 domestic and international routes. The ships, which can carry up to 100 passengers, are powered by helium and described as environmentally friendly.

SACKED IN THE MORNING AN employee of Cristiano Ronaldo has crashed the star’s €2.1m Bugatti Veyron sports car in Mallorca. The two-seater hit the wall of a property in Bunyola, where it ended up in a storage area for butano gas bottles. The front of the luxury car was badly damaged but no one was hurt. The footballer has been on holiday in Mallorca with his wife and five children.