News
Coronavirus: how has
Spain reacted?
Domingo cancelled
Plácido Domingo confirmed he has
tested positive for COCID-19, shortly
after a planned concert had been
cancelled following complaints of his
alleged sexual misconduct. The Madrid-
born singer, conductor and arts
administrator, now 79, was to have
appeared as Vidal in a performance of
Luisa Fernanda on May 14 to mark the
50th anniversary of his first concert in
the capital. However. allegations of
sexual harassment by 20 women
recently forced him to accept “full
responsibility” for his actions.
Tax time
The government has maintained April 1
as the start date for submitting tax
returns for last year, despite the present
health crisis. The Treasury published
plans for the 2019 personal income tax
and wealth tax declaration models on
March 19. The closing date for
submissions is June 30.
Oil standards
New quality standards for the
production of olive oil are likely to
become law later this year. Replacing
existing legislation from 1983 is
intended to bring transparency to the
sector, according to the the Agrifood
Industrial Technology Centre (Ainia), a
non-profit agribusiness group which
drafted the new text. The measures
include traceability throughout the
production chain and labelling
requirements.
Take away
Social Services in Nerja are delivering
take-away meals to those who live alone
to avoid them having to leave their
homes, with volunteers from the Civil
Protection unit making the deliveries.
Anyone wishing to use the service is
asked to call 617 428 417.
Continued from page 9
The number of businesses in the
province of Málaga registering for the
procedure known as Temporary
Employment Regulation (abbreviated
to ERTE in Spanish) rose dramatically
as the crisis deepened. Once registered,
a business can suspend employment
contracts, dismiss workers, and
temporarily reduce working hours.
The trend follows the national pattern
with Iberia becoming one of the largest
concerns to announce lay offs; on
March 19, the carrier announced 90
per cent of its staff would cease work
for three months.
Tourism has been severely hit with
Andalucía predicted to lose almost €6
billion in tourism revenue this
summer. Many international flights
into Spain have been cancelled, while
on March 16, a number of flights en
route from the UK were ordered to
turn round and head for home. Empty
planes were later sent to Spanish
airports to collect British tourists who
had been expecting to board the return
flights.
Easter processions have been cancelled
across the country losing tourism
income estimated at €15 million a day
in the province of Málaga alone. In
Riogordo, the annual re-enactment of
the Passion of Christ on the Friday and
Saturday of Easter Week (April 10 and
11), which has continued uninterrupted
since 1968, has also been cancelled
Regional elections in the Basque
Country and Galicia for April 5 have
been postponed, while the official visit
of King Felipe and Queen Letizia to the
USA, scheduled for April 21, has been
postponed.
In sport, the F1 Spanish Grand Prix,
scheduled for May 10 in Barcelona,
has been postponed along with the
Grand Prix in the Netherlands and
Monaco. Football fixtures, including
La Liga, have come to a halt, while the
World Superbike Event in Jeréz has
been postponed from March to
October.
Municipalities across Spain have
announced service reductions and
closures during the crisis. Nerja and
Torrox, both controlled by the
opposition Partido Popular party, had
10
imposed their own local restrictions in
the days immediately preceding the
national move.
Towns along the coast have closed
beaches, parks and leisure facilities.
Instant hefty fines can be imposed on
those who ignore the new rules, while
police loudspeaker vans have been
touring the streets urging residents to
stay indoors and observe the
emergency restrictions.
Those found to be ignoring the
lockdown, including tourists, were at
first advised by police officers to return
to their homes or holiday
accommodation. But within days,
dozens were denounced by police and
face fines of between €601 and €3,000.
They include five people found at a
party in the city of Málaga early on
March 22 after neighbours complained
about noise at 4.50am.
Nerja Town Hall suspended routine
council meetings, although emergency
sessions could be called. To help
businesses who provide goods and
service to the town hall, Councillors
also agreed to make outstanding
payments as soon as possible.
Public transport has been restricted in
several towns. Nerja’s local bus services
began operating only between 10.00am
and 1.00pm daily, while local services
in Torrox were suspended altogether.
Farmers in Torrox offered their
tractors to help with disinfecting streets
in the municipality.
Nerja also closed the Caves complex in
Maro and the municipal museum near
the Balcón de Europe, although the
Municipal School of Music and Dance
is maintaining contact with students on
line. Like many other town halls, Nerja
and Torrox closed all municipal
departments with staff ordered to work
from home.
The social services department in Nerja
has taken the town’s homeless to stay at
the municipal sports centre. The
councillor responsible, Daniel Rivas,
said the object was to ensure they
receive the best possible care in an
emergency. The charity group
Simpatiza has called for residents who
wish to donate blankets and other
essentials to call 622 102 117 to arrange
from them to be collected.