ISSUE NO. 1696
4 - 10 January 2018
€200m budget revealed A BUDGET of €203.8 million has been proposed for Almeria Province in 2018. It represents an increase of €6 million on 2017’s budget. This year’s budget was proposed by president of the provincial council, Gabriel Amat, who said infrastructure, social services and job growth were the three main priorities. Almost €50 million will be spent on social services, some €33 million on infrastructure, and another €33 on creating new jobs. Tourism and the agribusiness sector will be the biggest beneficiaries of the jobs drive. Amat is keen to strengthen the Costa de Almeria brand’s international reputation and also boost ‘Sabores Almeria,’ which promotes the province’s cuisine across Spain. Another €11 million will be spent on promoting sports and culture, and a sizeable amount allocating to reducing the province’s debt. It reached a high of €201 million in 2011, which Amat claims to have since reduced by €103 million. Amat, who is also mayor of Roquetas de Mar, also pledged to allocate more funding to municipalities with populations of less than 5,000 people.
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Hospital attack A 57-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested after allegedly attacking a police officer and threatening two nurses. Police were reportedly called to Torrecardenas hospital after receiving information from security staff that a person was threatening two nurses in the hospital.
When officers arrived at the scene, they were reportedly met with a barrage of abuse from the individual, before he allegedly punched one of the officers in the arm. He has now reportedly been charged with crimes of assault and threats.
LOVE BIRDS: The calendar will feature rare birds from the park including the trumpeter finch (inset).
Flying off the shelves A calendar featuring images of birds found at the Cabo de Gata Nijar Natural Park is to be released. It c o mes a s th e ic o n ic park prepares to celebrate its 30th anniversary. The park was officially given its name on January 2 6 , 1 9 8 8 an d b e c a me t he first Spanish natural park to combine marine and terrestrial habitats. Created by the Mediterra n ea n E c o lo g is t G ro up
(GEM), the calendar will feature pictures of a number of bird species found in the park. Jose Rivera, of GEM, ex-
plained to Spanish media that birds were chosen because “they are the living indicator that shows a place is doing well ecologically.”
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Festive feast SOLDIERS in Iraq were treated to a Christmas hamper of Almeria speciality products. The King Alfonso XIII Brigade brought over the festive food to almost 400 Spanish soldiers helping train the Iraqi army. The serving men and women are based in a newly developed city just south of Baghdad. They are on a six-month tour of the struggling country. To h e l p s t a v e o f f t h e Christmas blues as they are separated from their families in Spain, Almer i a ’s p r o v i n c i a l c o u n c i l donated 120 kilos worth of sausages, hams, and cheeses and from the Almanzora region. Soldiers were able to wash down the feast with 180 bottles of Almerian wine.