News
Extradition arrest Balearics talk tourism
rules in London
Spain’s High Court last month ordered
Emilio Lozoya, former chief executive of
the Mexican state oil firm Pemex, to be
held pending an extradition request from
Mexico where he faces corruption
charges. He was arrested in Benahavís,
Málaga, on February 12 in possession of a
fake driving licence. Lozoya faces charges
of wide-ranging bribery and money
laundering which could land him in jail
for 15 years. The tourism minister of the Balearic
regional government met British
Foreign Office officials in London last
month to underline the “zero
tolerance” approach to drunken
tourists in resorts including Magaluf
(pictured). The meeting followed
concerns expressed by ABTA following
new measures introduced on the
islands to curb bad behaviour.
Smoking ban
The government is planning more
restrictive legislation of the use of
tobacco, including a ban on smoking in
cars when there are children in the
vehicle. Health Minister Salvador Illa said
last month that his ministry is already
reviewing the tax levied on tobacco
products. He added that “vaping” has
been scientifically shown to be not
“innocuous” and demands regulation.
Dinner with Donald
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia are to
make an official visit to the USA in April
with a state dinner at the White House
scheduled for April 21. The Royal couple
previously made an informal visit to
Donald and Melania Trump in 2018 but
this will be a formal occasion. It will be
the first time the American President and
his wife have hosted royalty at a state
occasion.
Iago Negueruela is reported to have
explained why alcohol limits, a ban on
pub crawls and serious punishments
for the practice of “balconing” are
amongst the new rules applying in
parts of Palma de Mallorca, the
Magaluf area and the West End of
Ibiza. In a statement after the meeting,
the Balearic government said they
wanted to send “a “message of zero
tolerance” against “tourism based on
excess.” ABTA’s director of destinations and
sustainability Nikki White said the plan
to limit alcohol during meals at all-
inclusive hotels is “misguided” and
“targets the wrong market.” Meanwhile,
Mallorca’s hotel association is
encouraging its members to protect
themselves by ensuring that tourists
agree in writing to behave during their
stay, following the introduction of the
new rules.
It added, “Sr Neguerela has explained
to the British government
representatives the need to take
corrective measures in certain tourist
resorts in the Balearic Islands and force
through a real change of model in
these areas.” Sr Negueruela, said the measures had
made the Balearics the first destination
in Europe to fight back against
problem tourists. Local businesses
which violate the new regulations
could be fined up to €60,000 or be
closed for three years.
The plight of hunting dogs
Women’s football
Professional women football players in
Spain have signed their first collective
agreement on pay and conditions. The
deal, finalised on February 18, guarantees
a minimum salary of €16,000 p.a. plus
benefits including holidays and maternity
leave. Sports minister Irene Lozano
described the development as, “an
important day” for female players who
had concerns about their futures.
Digital tax
The government is planning a digital
services tax following a similar move by
France which prompted retaliation
threats from the US. The move would
demand a 3% tax on earnings from online
advertising, deals agreed on digital
platforms and sales of user data, and
would apply to giant operators such as
Facebook and Google with at least €750
million in global revenue. Finance
Minister María Jesús Montero said a new
tax regime would avoid unfair
competition with traditional businesses.
Thousands of people took to the streets
of 39 cities across Spain in early
February to mark the end of the season
during which it is permitted to hunt
with dogs. However, the demonstrators
were not only protesting against the
practice, but about the treatment
meted out to the hounds, setters and
pointers used by the hunters when
they are no longer required.
The protests have been orchestrated
annually by the pressure group “No a
la caza” (No to the hunt) which accuses
hunters of the “abuse, abandonment
and killing” of their animals. They
refer to hunting with dogs as “the most
cruel of all hunting methods.”
Spokesman David Rubio told around
12,000 protestors who gathered in
Madrid that, when the hunting season
ends, many dogs are simply
“abandoned, or thrown into wells or
ravines.” He claims that, between the
10
opening of the season in October and
the start of February, some 12,000
animals face this “savage” fate every
year. Sr Rubio also says that each
region of Spain “does what it wants
with its dogs,” including Castilla-La
Mancha where, he claims, it is legal to
kill hunting dogs. The group is
demanding a National Animal
Protection Law which stops Spain from
being a “third-world country in terms
of animal welfare.”
Tsunami threat
Andalucía is reported to be working on
plans to protect the region from a deadly
tsunami. The regional government said
last month that, while there is no
imminent threat, preparations should be
in place for such a catastrophe. Analysis
has already predicted that Cádiz and
Huelva provinces are at high risk and
suggest a tsunami is possible within 20
minutes of when an earthquake is felt
and walls crack.