The real reasons of the change of government in La Vila

Now, a year after the vote of no confidence against the socialist mayor Gaspar Lloret undertaken by the town councillors of the right ring Popular Party and another councillor of the Independent Party, who deceived and acted as a traitor against his party and the government of the town, it has become completely clear what they pursued.
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As Gaspar Lloret, now spokesman of the socialists, claimed yesterday on the local radio and to the press the new rulers led by the turncoat politician Francisco Pérez Melero were not moved by the inefficiency of the four-party qualition which was governing or the economy. In any case, they were worried by their own economy -that that affects their own pockets and accounts- because.

• First, all that is being done in la Vila now was started by the socialist mayor -he himself- or by the Spanish president, the also socialist Jose Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.
• Second, many people directedly connected with the PP councilors and the turncoat have been given a job in the Town Hall, among which we find, for example, the current mayor's wife, the turncoats's wife, a previous counsillor directly connected with the previous PP mayor (the false doctor, Chemi) directing the mayor's office, Marcos Santapau, and a close friend of the turnout's, Bartolomé León, as number 1 in Urbanism (when he just worked selling bricks before the motion), to give just a few examples.

Limited tax rises

Monday, 07 September 2009

Consumer price drop slows but GDP hits new record low

Zapatero says planned tax rises will be ‘limited in time and scope'

By Dave Jamieson

PM Zapatero says capital gains taxes will increase, not income taxes (Photo: EFE archive)

The fall in consumer prices in Spain slowed in August, according to encouraging data last Friday from the National Statistics Institute (INE). However, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the second quarter fell by more than was expected.

Consumer prices have been falling since March, which was the first month a year-on-year drop had been recorded since records began in 1961. Consecutive months showed the rate was increasing down to the maximum of 1.4 per cent in July, leading to fears of a period of deflation which would be harmful to the economy. However, the INE's provisional figure for August showed that prices in the shops fell by just 0.8 per cent, data which is due to be confirmed next week.

The GDP data for the second quarter of 2009, also announced last week, showed a year-on-year contraction of 1.1 per cent, and a record 4.2 per cent drop over the year. Both figures are worse than those predicted and the annual drop is the sharpest since records began in 1970. The INE also revised last year's figure downwards from 1.2 to 0.9 per cent. Only two years ago, GDP expanded by 3.6 per cent.

The bad news continued last week with more INE figures showing the average mortgage loan granted in June 2009 was 117,000 euros, down 17 per cent on the same month in 2008. The situation in Madrid and Barcelona was reported to be even worse, with drops of 19.3 and 24 per cent respectively. There were 70,000 fewer mortgages granted in June compared with the previous year. However, the situation has improved since May, when 22.6 per cent fewer mortgages were granted than in the same month in 2008.

Capital gains increase

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Zapatero says expected tax rises will be "limited in time and scope." His comments on Friday followed those of the Economy Minister Elena Salgado on Wednesday when she said that, "all, absolutely all" taxes were set to rise. Sr Zapatero insisted that income and business taxes will not be raised and that the increases will focus on capital gains taxes.

Article published in 'Costa News'

new British Consul in Alicante

Friday, 04 September 2009

New British Consul

The British Embassy in Madrid has informed of the appointment of Janine Lamont as the new British Consul in Alicante replacing Juliet Maric.

Read more in this week CostaBlanca News edition

Efforts to control the flu epidemic

Friday, 21 August 2009

Hospitals gear up for flu epidemic

Swine flu cases expected to soar

By Tom Cain
WITH THE autumn fast approaching and the authorities warning of a surge in the number of swine flu cases, hospitals on the Costa Blanca are setting up isolation wards and getting ready for a mass arrival of patients.

Elche Hospital, for example has begun the construction of a special isolation ward that will be able to house up to 27 patients.

The move follows a recent directive from the Valencia health authorities giving hospitals and medical centres the freedom to establish their own emergency protocols in the event of an epidemic.

Each facility can determine how many doctors and nursing staff it can use and how many beds it can reserve and the size of the isolation area it establishes.

To that end Elche Hospital has decided to turn the outside area of its emergency department into a purpose- built isolation. Work on the project has already begun and will be completed next month.

Hospital is also setting aside areas that will deal solely with children suspected of having the virus.

As each medical facility puts its protocols into action the health authority continues to keep its 24-hour hotline open and the World Health Organisation has raised its pandemic alert to level 6.2.

The health ministry has mounted an information campaign at all Spanish airports, bus stations and train stations.

At Alicante airport posters have been put up in Spanish and English giving advice to travellers going to or returning from areas affected by the H1N1 virus.

Article published in 'Costa News'

Higher taxes for the richest in times of crises

Monday, 31 August 2009

Spain prepares tax hike for the rich

Opposition PP argues for budget ‘austerity' instead

By David Eade

José Blanco during RNE radio interview

The minister for public works, José Blanco, one of the senior ministers in PM Zapatero's cabinet, has signalled that a U-turn is in the offing and tax increases for the rich could be on the way. This has led to protests from the centre-right Partido Popular. Leader Mariano Rajoy has instead called for "austerity" and wants Spain's budget deficit reduced to three per cent of GDP - the widely ignored level set by the EU.

Last week in a radio interview Sr Blanco stated: "If we need to raise certain tax rates in order to guarantee social policies or public investment, then we'll have to do it.

"I believe in helping those who most need it and if in order to help the needy those who can most afford it have to tighten their belts in times of hardship, then we must say so clearly to the public."

Spain has moved from a 2007 surplus of 2.2 per cent of gross domestic product to a projected deficit of 10 per cent or more this year. Spending has risen because Premier José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has promoted nationwide public works to stop unemployment rising even higher than the current level of 18 per cent.

Following Britain?

So Spain could now follow in Britain's footsteps where top rate personal income tax will rise from 40 to 50 per cent next year. In June Spanish ministers, who had previously presided over the abolition of Spain's wealth tax, were denying the need for drastic tax rises. However, fuel and tobacco taxes have risen and business leaders fear increases in other taxes, including value-added tax and possibly income tax.

Read the coments to the article published in Costa News

No Advance in the Valencian Healthcare System

Thursday, 03 September 2009

Healthcare in the Valencia Region - nothing new

Despite recent reports suggesting changes are being made to the public healthcare system in the Valencia Region regarding the treatment of certain groups of expat residents, nothing has materialised.

Talks over a quota system that has already been implemented in other regions have not yet given a solution to groups such as early UK retirees.

The ball now lies in the Valencian government's court as it is its health system which has to announce any modifications. Many expats have complained that speculation regarding quotas, and who exactly will benefit from the alleged modifications, have only increased confusion.

CBNews will publish the accurate information when the Valencian government finally produces the specific details of the expected changes.

Article published in 'Costa News'

Britons in Spanish politics

British people who live in Spain wish to contribute to their town correct development and are taking part into local politcs actively.

British expats in local Spanish politics More than 43% of foreign councillors in Spanish Town Halls are British