10,000 Euro fine for those found working while claiming unemployment pay in Spain

The Government on Friday approved in cabinet its new measures against the submerged economy. Under the plan employers will have until July 31 to regularise their employees without any fines being imposed. Despite the fact that the company will only pay the social security quotas from the moment the worker in affiliated, the Government has said it is ‘not an amnesty’.

After July 31, sanctions imposed will be imposed on businesses between 1.6 and 5 times higher than before, and any worker found working in the submerged economy while collecting unemployment pay will be fined a minimum of 10,000 €.

Companies are unhappy as they now have extra responsibilities regarding contraction of workers and some have criticised that they will have to act like work inspectors.

Minister for Employment, Valeriano Gómez, said that the reform is designed 'thinking of the future'.

Also approved in cabinet today, a stability program and reforms which will presented to the European Commission at the end of the month.

 

First train arrives in Málaga for the new metro system

The first train for Málaga’s new metro system arrived in the capital of the Costa del Sol this Thursday, ahead of test runs on the line this summer once the electrical installations are in place.

Diario Sur reports that it was brought there from the CAF Santana factory in Linares, Jaén province, the company which is contracted to build the 14 trains which will run on the metro.

The Málaga metro system will have a total length of 13.5 kilometres, with 20 stations along the route. It’s planned to be in service before the end of the year.

 

Weak jobs and retail data together with rising inflation on Friday undermined Spain's efforts to revive a stagnant economy already beset by rampant unemployment, high prices and depressed consumer sentiment.

Weak jobs and retail data together with rising inflation on Friday undermined Spain's efforts to revive a stagnant economy already beset by rampant unemployment, high prices and depressed consumer sentiment.

Unemployment, which is more than double the European Union average, rose to 21.3 percent, or 4.9 million people, in the first quarter from 20.3 percent a quarter earlier, the National Statistics Institute (INE) said.

The government says unemployment will end the year at an average of 19.8 percent as a return to economic growth begins to create net jobs in the second half of 2010, but the Bank of Spain is less optimistic, seeing the rate at over 20 percent into next year.

"Hopefully this marks the peak of unemployment. I don't think the situation will improve dramatically in the next few quarters but it should at least stabilise," economist at Unicredit Tullia Bucco said.

The unemployment rate rose as the active workforce shrunk to 18.2 million, down 1.3 percent from a year earlier.

Spain's economy tipped into recession mid-2008 after a burst property bubble hit domestic demand and sent the key construction and services sectors tumbling and prompting mass layoffs, more than doubling the number of people out of work.

Despite emerging from recession at the start of 2010, the fallout from the collapsed building industry and persistent consumer caution has left the economy near stagnant, and it is likely to remain depressed due to a continuing credit crunch.

March retail sales fell 8.6 percent year-on-year on a calendar-adjusted basis in March, after an adjusted fall of 4.3 percent in February, official data showed, the sharpest decline since February 2009 and the ninth consecutive month of falls.

Spain cracks down on black economy, pledges heavy sanctions for companies with illegal workers

Spain is giving companies three months to put their workers fully on the books under a new bill aimed at eradicating a black economy that account for up to 20 per cent of the economically ailing country's GDP.
Labor Minister Valeriano Gomez said Thursday that after this period heavier sanctions will be imposed and workplace inspections increased.
Gomez told Spanish National Television the decree would be passed Friday.
The bill aims to boost state coffers as Spain struggles to emerge from nearly two years of recession with a bloated deficit and a European Union-high unemployment rate of 20 per cent.
Many small and medium-sized companies have workers whom they pay fully or partially under the counter to skirt tax and social security obligations.

 

Police in Paris have arrested 60 suspected illegal migrants, most of them Tunisians

Police in Paris have arrested 60 suspected illegal migrants, most of them Tunisians, as France pushes for tighter border controls.

The suspects, who include some Egyptians, Libyans and Algerians, were arrested for "breaking the residency laws", a police source said.

Unrest in the Arab world has generated a wave of migrants to Europe.

France, part of the EU border-free Schengen zone, is seeking to re-impose internal frontier controls.

No other details were given of the arrests, reported by France's AFP news agency.

France is seen as a likely destination for migrants from Tunisia because many of them speak the French language.

On Tuesday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi called for the Schengen treaty to be revised.

Italy has angered France by granting visas to thousands of migrants, allowing them to travel across the Schengen zone.

About 25,000 migrants have arrived by boat in southern Italy so far this year.

Royal Family attend Easter Mass in Palma

The absence of the King was the most commented part of the Spanish Royal Family’s visit to the ‘Misa de Pascua’ Easter Sunday service in Palma Cathedral.

Don Juan Carlos remained in his office in the Zarzuela Palace preparing the official visit to Spain by the Emir of Qatar and his wife who will be here between April 25 and 27.

It was left to Queen Sofía to lead the royal family this week on Palma, with several events organised by Marivent Palace. She has been joined for a time by her sister, the Princess Irene of Greece.

The Infantas Elena and Cristina were present on Sunday, at what is a traditional engagement of the Spanish Easter, along with the Prince and Princess of Asturias.

Photographers were out in force, with the Infantas Leonor and Sofía making the centre of attention.

 

Civil Guard are investigating the death of a young Spanish boy on Ibiza

The Civil Guard are investigating the death of a young Spanish boy on Ibiza, who was accidentally run over while he was riding a children’s mini moto on his family’s property in Sant Antoni de Portmany on Sunday.

The six year old was hit by a kart cross buggy driven by his mother, who failed to see that her son was in her path.

The boy was rushed to hospital in Can Misses by his father, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

another construction accident in work to build the Málaga metro system on Monday

There was another construction accident in work to build the Málaga metro system on Monday, the second in the past month.

Three workers were injured when, Diario Sur reports, a series of metallic structures used to reinforce concrete fell like a row of dominoes, hitting the three men. One worker was trapped beneath the fallen structures, which had to be lifted off by a crane on site.

It happened at around 1pm near the María Zambrano railway station in the city centre. Initial reports indicate that none of their injuries are thought to be serious.

The first accident on the Málaga metro was on March 29, in a tunnel under construction for Line 2 between the José María Martín Carpena sports pavilion and the Carrefour commercial centre. Three workers were injured, one of them seriously, when the hose from a concrete pump exploded.

The National Police have asked for help from the public in finding some of Spain’s most wanted, both Spaniards and foreigners, by showing their faces in a video placed on the police’s Youtube channel.

The National Police have asked for help from the public in finding some of Spain’s most wanted, both Spaniards and foreigners, by showing their faces in a video placed on the police’s Youtube channel.

It includes those wanted for murder, torture, drug trafficking, theft, fraud and other crimes.

Using the music from Dexter as backing the video mentions the Briton, Daren Michael Elarmo, wanted for kidnapping and sexual abuse of children and thought to be living in Spain.

Also Christopher Guest More from Manchester and wanted for murder.

British youth in new case of 'balconing' on the Baleares

19 year old British youth, who jumped from a fourth floor balcony of a hotel in Palma de Mallorca in an attempt to reach the swimming pool, has become the first victim of ‘balconing’ of the season on the Baleares. It happened at 0.55am in the early hours of Sunday.

The man is now in the Son Espases hospital with a broken forearm and suffering from abdominal pains. He is undergoing a series of tests to determine the seriousness of his injuries.

Que.es reports that sources at the hotel say that the youth was very drunk, and that he had been taken to his apartment by the Guardia Civil after causing a disturbance in the street. Once in his room the youth fell from the balcony for reasons which are unclear.
He was reported to still be conscious when the emergency services arrived at 0055am.

Last year there were some 20 youngsters, all of them foreigners, who took part in the practice of ‘balconing’ on the Baleares.

 

The emir of Qatar arrived in Madrid on Monday on a visit to boost economic ties between the oil-rich Gulf state and Spain,

The emir of Qatar arrived in Madrid on Monday on a visit to boost economic ties between the oil-rich Gulf state and Spain, which is seeking new investments to shore up its battered economy.
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and his wife, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, lunched with King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia at the royal palace of Zarazuela outside Madrid following their arrival.
On Tuesday, he is to hold talks over lunch with Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, after which several agreements will be signed, Spanish media reported.
The three-day visit follows a trip to the tiny Gulf state by Zapatero in March during which he received pledges of some 3.0 billion euros ($4.4 billion) in investments, some of which would go to Spain's ailing savings banks.
Days later, Spanish power giant Iberdrola said that Qatari investment fund Qatar Holding would buy a 6.16 percent stake in the group for 2.2 billion euros.
Spain is also interested in investment opportunities for its construction companies raised by Qatar's successful bid to host the 2022 World Cup, the business daily Cinco Dias reported.
Spain is battling to rein in its massive public deficit and convince nervous markets that it will not require an international bailout similar to that requested by neighbour Portugal this month and granted to Greece and Ireland last year.

Fuengirola, Wife's agony as father-of-two dies swimming

FATHER of two has died after he was swept out to sea while swimming on holiday in Spain.
Colin McLean, 42, had been playing with his eight-year-old son Fraser in the sea near Fuengirola, Malaga, shortly before he got into difficulties.

He shouted for help and is understood to have been pulled from the water by a police officer who tried to revive him as his wife Jenny sat by his side but he could not be saved.

Mrs McLean flew back to Edinburgh this week with Fraser and the couple's five-year-old daughter Olivia following the tragedy on Monday.

They had been staying with friends at the family's holiday flat near Fuengirola since last Wednesday, and her husband, a project manager with the Port Of Leith Housing Association, flew out on Saturday to join them.

Mrs McLean said: "We went to the beach. It wasn't choppy. There was no flag up - no flag up at all.

"Fraser and Colin were playing in the waves and basically, Fraser just came out and all of a sudden we couldn't see Colin.

"The next minute he was way out at sea. We were shouting and screaming to get help and eventually, as far as I'm aware, a policeman stripped and went in and got him.

"Paramedics worked on Colin for about 45 minutes to an hour but there was absolutely nothing - and I sat with him all the time."

The family, who live in Corstorphine, are staying with relatives as they try to come to terms with their loss.

Mrs McLean added: "Colin was so strong I can not even begin to think how or why it happened, or what happened - whether it was an undercurrent that just took him away - I don't know.

"Fraser doesn't know what to do. Colin did everything with him. Took him to rugby, to play golf, everything.

"He was the best dad in the world.

"Colin meant everything to me. He was my friend. I just don't know what I'm going to do without him.

"His mum and dad and sister are just devastated, but have been brilliant, helping us to get through this."

 

Spanish gym offers naked workouts

A gym in Spain has come up with an eye-catching way of battling the recession.
Easy Gym in the Basque region has begun offering naked workouts, for nudists.
The gym's owners say amid the global financial recession they'd noticed a drop off in membership and the move is aimed at simply increasing gym numbers.
A poll of the group's members showed 90% support for a facility offering the full range of nude workouts.
However sceptics suggest that running full tilt in the buff might not be entirely enjoyable, thoughs saying sports underwear, was invented for a reason.

 

Spain court bans atheist march on Holy Thursday

court has barred atheists from holding a march on Holy Thursday, saying that would be offensive to Spanish Catholics who mark Easter with processions of their own.

In Wednesday's ruling, the Madrid Superior Court of Justice upheld a ban imposed last week by the Interior Ministry office for the Madrid region.

That office had argued among other things that the march planned in the Lavapies district of Madrid would pass by several Catholic churches and could trigger clashes with conservative Catholics. The court also said it is necessary to "protect the tourist image" of the city.

The Madrid Association of Atheists and Free-Thinkers, one of the march organizers, said the ban shows there is no separation of church and state in Spain, a largely Catholic country.

 

Bandit of the Sierra de Cádiz arrested by the Civil Guard

dangerous criminal who operated like a modern-day bandit from his base in the mountains of Cádiz has been arrested in an operation involving more than 70 Civil Guard and a chase which saw him jumping from a height of 3 metres into a mountain stream as he attempted to flee his pursuers.

Known as ‘El Lute’, the suspect was wanted on a warrant issued by a court in Oviedo, Asturias, and was finally brought to ground last Friday when he was tracked to his camp in an isolated area of the Sierra Margarita. He also used mountain caves as hideouts, and kept dangerous dogs on guard which were trained to alert him of anyone approaching.

The Civil Guard said the 40 year old, A.M.S.C., used a hunting shotgun to hold up hikers and local farmers and was known to have been responsible for the hold-up of a petrol station in El Bosque this January, where he used his shotgun to beat an employee before he fled.

Many of his robberies were left unreported by the victims for fear of reprisals.

Officers confiscated the shotgun and ammunition, machetes, axes, stolen livestock and other items stolen from businesses in the area. They also discovered a plantation of 23 marijuana plants at the site.