Euro Weekly News - Costa Blanca North 22 - 28 April 2021 Issue 1868

News

The people’s paper ISSUE NO. 1868

22 - 28 April 2021

Stay-at-home ANGELES CRIADO, a regional MP for the Vox party, opposed a parliamentary committee’s decision to remove gender from applications for public sector jobs.

Women should earn less than men, she said, “because they prefer to stay at home.”

COSTA BLANCA NORTH • WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

TERRA NATURA

Hospital aid DENIA hospital donated antiCovid PPE material to a Gandiabased charity that will ship disposable hospital gowns, gloves, surgical masks and FFP2 masks to Ngandanjika (Democratic Republic of the Congo) for use in the local hospital and health centres.

Era ends TELEFONICA recently removed the last phone boxes from Javea’s streets, in line with recommendations from Spain’s National Markets and Competitivity Commission (CNMC).

PAPA: A Bengal tiger.

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More use for AP-7 ELIMINATING the AP‐7 tolls produced a 26 per cent rise in the number of vehicles using it, despite the pan‐ demic.

This figure is significantly higher for heavy lorries, with a 96 per cent increase.

Tolls were lifted on January 1 last year and Ministry of Transport figures revealed a daily average of 20,551 vehicles on the AP‐7’s Altea section and 35,508 in Vil‐ lajoyosa.

Unlike the past, the motorway is now used for short and medium journeys while the parallel N‐332, now safer without heavy traffic, is used principally for local journeys.

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22 - 28 April 2021

Diputacion visit for new mayor ALICANTE MEETING: Raul Llobell and Jose Antonio Bisquert meet Diputacion officials.

P L A N S are being pushed through to speed up improvements to TeuladaMoraira.

Raul Llobell, now Teulada-Moraira mayor following the censure motion against his predecessor Rosa Vila, accompanied by Public Services councillor, Jose Antonio Bisquert, recently visited the provincial council, the Diputacion, in Alicante City.

Here they met Alejandro Morant, who heads the Diputacion’s Roads department, to discuss widening the road that links Teulada with Moraira which is considered one of the most pressing future projects.

W ork is due to start on the first phase, the section commencing in Teulada’s Plaza Gabriel Miro, Llobell and Bisquert learnt.

Thanking the Diputacion, Llobell said that improving and widening the road that links both parts of the town was muchneeded and “vitally important.”

NEWS

Casinos Reopen THE Superior Court of Justice of the Valencian Community (TSJCV) announced on Thursday, April 15 that it would temporarily suspend the closure order against bingo halls, casinos and other gambling establishments due to the low levels of coronavirus infections in the region. The magistrates agreed that the reopening of these businesses will not “cause a serious disturbance of the general interests” once appropriate safety measures are adhered to.

Fishing Club news THE Teulada‐Moraira Fishing Club recently re‐ turned to competition fishing.

There was a good turnout of 10 contestants, ready to fish Section B of the River Jucar in neigh‐ bouring Valencia Province.

The weather was a little chilly and overcast ear‐ ly on, with a shower around midday although the temperature gradually rose to 18 degrees.

The best catch of 15.17 kilos went to Mick Owen, but there were no dry nets with a total of 52 fish caught that day.

The Fishing Club’s next match, when they will in the Jucar’s Section B, is scheduled for April 28, Covid rules permitting.

“We are a very friendly club and always happy to welcome new members,” said the club secre‐ tary, Jeff Richards.

For more information, contact Frank Povey (966 490 338 and frank.povey@btopenworld. com) or call Ray Craig on 966 492 083.

To this end, casinos and other similar venues will be allowed to open at a maximum capacity of 30 per cent indoors, with no more than six people to a table.

In addition, a distance of two metres must be maintained between tables and consumption at the bar is prohibited.

The Association of gaming casinos of the Community welcomed the decision of the Court, which could not find “justification or sufficient motivation to maintain the closure measure without prejudice to possible different future situations that determine that the administration adopt the precautionary measures it deems appropriate.”

Park and shop THREE new parking zones will be set aside in Benitachell for shoppers in Calle La Pau and Calle Mayor.

The town hall hopes that this will boost custom in central districts while also providing a zone for lorries and delivery vans to load and unload, explained Benitachell’s mayor Miguel Angel Garcia.

“The lack of vehicle rotation is a long-standing problem,” Garcia said, “and we hope that this move will help local commence, which is this town’s driving force.”

The new parking zones, which are already fully marked-out, will operate from Monday to Saturday between 8.30am and 1.30pm and between 4.30pm to 8.30pm on weekdays only.

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NIBS EXTRA Alfaz award ALFAZ recently celebrated its 185th anniversary as an independent municipality after leaving the Barony of Polop in 1836. In commemoration of Alfaz’s independence, the town hall awarded the Premi L’Alfas 2021 to the Klein-Schreuder Foundation in recognition of its altruistic support of Art for more than 20 years.

Heavy metal THE Guardia Civil arrested a 24-year-old man accused of stealing 160 manhole covers and drain-gratings that were worth €19,200 from Javea streets. He then sold these to a Benissa scrap metal yard where officers found 35 of the covers and arrested three employees for receiving stolen goods.

Road up WITH UK tourism ruled out for the present, Benidorm Town Hall’s Public Works department is carrying out major roadworks in Calle Mallorca in the ‘British Zone.’ The €945,000 project that includes replacing water and main drainage pipes should be finished for the first arrivals in late May.

Big kitesurfing plans OLIVA is working on plans to regulate kitesurfing on its beaches.

The municipality is already popular with kitesurfers, hosting important international championships, pointed out Oliva’s Tourism councillor, Kino Calafat.

This year the town hall is introducing new measures enabling kitesurfers to practise the sport with every legal guarantee in safe anti-Covid conditions, Calafat revealed to the local Spanish media.

The Tourism department, the councillor continued, will make it easy for visitors to Oliva’s beaches by providing them

Close watch DENIA’S mayor Vicent Grimalt countered the SEP union’s accusation of wasting public money by doubling the number of CCTV cameras at the Santa Lucia care home, which was in a ‘ruinous’ state. Grimalt explained that they were there to ensure a rapid response to falls or other accidents.

Double love BENIDORM’S Doble Amor centre is to receive a €170,000 grant from the town hall. This will enable the centre to continue programmes that are aimed at promoting social and professional integration for those with functional diversity, while supporting Doble Amor’s social activities, explained Social Welfare councillor Angela Llorca.

OLIVA KITESURFING: More popular each year. with a cordoned-off area for kitesurfing.

“This won’t be the same as always,” Calafat promised. Although free, he explained, it

would be necessary to pass two controls before reaching the water.

As in previous years, the activity can be practised between

2pm and 8pm, but the space set aside for kitesurfers will be much bigger.

Entrance and exit accesses that ensure social distancing will be the same as last year, so that new arrivals do not have to pass close to those who are leaving, Calafat said. There are also plans for changing rooms on the beach.

“This year we are going big with kitesurfing,” he told the regional daily, Levante.

“It is a sports and tourist draw, attracting more people each year, and Oliva’s playas, like Tarifa’s, are now famous both nationally and internationally.”

Marina Alta’s inland heritage PEGO, Adsubia and Les Valls are organising free conducted tours to introduce the pub‐ lic to the area and its heritage.

The excursions are jointly organised by their respective Tourism departments and next up is a walk to the Benissili castle on April 25.

On Saturday May 1 there will be an eth‐ nic‐botanical route to visit Adsuvieta and

Major plan A CENSUS is to be made of all empty commercial premises in Gandia to provide potential buyers and estate agencies with a list of available properties. Economy and Commerce councillor Ferran Martinez said it was “not an easy undertaking” but should ultimately help to attract investors.

22 - 28 April 2021

Clue to Civil War defences SOON it will be possible to ex‐ plore a network of Civil War tun‐ nels near Javea port.

The visit must be virtual, not in person, owing to the “precarious” condition of the galleries excavat‐ ed 20‐metres into the Caleta de Puerto cliff, explained Javea’s Cul‐ ture councillor Quico Moragues.

This will be the first time the public will be able to view one of the few remaining reminders of Javea’s defensive architecture re‐ lating to the 1936‐1939 Civil War. The entrance to the tunnels is now hidden, boarded up in the 1970s and overgrown with vege‐ tation. When they were first re‐ opened it was assumed that they had been excavated to provide air‐raid shelters for the local popu‐ lation although that theory has now been discarded.

“After closer examination, it was decided that the tunnels were probably a munitions store for the Republican torpedo boats and anti‐submarine craft that pro‐ tected the coast against attack,” Moragues said.

the Vall d’Alcala ice storage house.

On both May 2 and May 23 an Adsubia‐ Fornia conducted tour focuses on the but‐ terflies and birds of the Vall d’Ebo. On May 9 there is a chance to visit Benirrama’s prehistoric rock art in the Vall de Gallinera and on May 16, a visit to Pego’s town walls. May 30 sees a visit to another castle, this time to Pego’s ruined

Castell d’Ambra built in the 13th century.

Each of the routes or walks will be ac‐ companied by a qualified tourist guide who will explain the area’s rich heritage.

More information is available from the Pego i les Valls Tourist Office (966 400 843 and 699 762 815) or the pegoilesvalls@touristinfo.net email ad‐ dress.

Phony fire didn’t pay off A CALPE man admitted to the Alicante High Court that he was behind a fire in his gym in 2016.

Following an agreement be‐ tween his lawyer and the Fis‐ calia (Public Prosecution depart‐ ment) he pleaded guilty to making a false insurance claim in hopes of receiving more than

€200,000. The recommended 30 months has been reduced to a two‐year suspended sentence and he must pay a €900 fine ‘for simulating a crime’ and com‐ pensate the owners of the Plaza Central shopping where the gym was located with €45,675.

He had taken out the insur‐

ance two months before the fire, which he admitted was de‐ liberately started owing to fi‐ nancial difficulties. The insur‐ ance company, which initially assessed the damage at €219,600, soon suspected the gym owner’s version of events and withheld payment.

Lions Peace La Nucia’s Poster winner lucky number DIANA PETROSYAN from Elian’s British School in La Nucia designed Spain’s second‐placed entry in the Lions Club In‐ ternational Peace Poster competition.

Her poster, which showed green shoots of hope being watered by a can decorated with international flags, was championed by the Lions Club of Alfaz del Pi. It was one of 30 designs by 11 and 12‐year‐olds from Elian’s who en‐ tered their work in the local stage of the contest.

Diana’s poster then went forward to the district and national rounds of the competition, and her design has just been judged the runner‐up in the whole of Spain.

Lions clubs around the globe have run the Peace Poster competition for more than three decades, with the aim of encouraging young people to promote the idea of international harmony.

A LA NUCIA administration sold the first prize in the April 15 National Lottery.

An entire ticket of number 75,192 would bring the winner €300,000 al‐ though as punters tend to buy a 10th of a ticket they can still look forward to €30,000 for every decimo that would have cost them €3.

This is the first time the La Nucia administration has sold a winner since it opened in 1987, town hall sources revealed.

“At least two decimos were sold to local people,” they added.

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Everyone says no BENIDORM Town Hall entered the Tajo‐Segu‐ ra fray and will ask the central government not to reduce water transfers to southern Alicante.

The proposed reduc‐ tion, which the local government described as “inopportune, arbi‐ trary and lacking in justification” will be tabled at Benidorm Council’s next plenary meeting.

Approval is assured as opposition to the Tajo‐Segura cuts cross‐ es all party lines. Ximo Puig (PSOE) who heads the regional govern‐ ment is currently fight‐ ing the proposed cuts proposed by the PSOE‐ Unidas Podemos coali‐ tion in Madrid and the trade unions have also weighed in, with sup‐ port from UGT. Ana Pellicer, Benidorm’s deputy mayor, recently at‐ tended an emergency meeting of the Provin‐ cial Water Commis‐ sion, called by Carlos Mazon, the Diputacion president.

Mazon has urged the South‐East region, Murcia and Andalucia to join forces and pre‐ sent a common front in opposing cuts to the essential water trans‐ fers to southern Ali‐ cante, Murcia and Almeria.

The central govern‐ ment wants to reduce the transfer that should leave the En‐ trepeñas and Buendia reservoirs in Guadala‐ jara each month from 38 to 27 hectometre.

All opponents from all institutions and par‐ ties are agreed that no decision should be made until the Tajo Basin Water Plan has been completed, as this will give full de‐ tails of reserves and the steps that should be taken.

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Opening hours IT is without question that many businesses in Spain are on their knees due to the coro‐ navirus pandemic and the re‐ strictive measures that accom‐ panied it, but few would argue that the hospitality industry has been one of the hardest hit, compounded by the travel limi‐ tations and lack of tourists for more than 12 months.

To this end, several represen‐ tative unions in the Valencian Community plan to meet this week and demand that the re‐ gional government allow them to increase not only their in‐ door capacity, but their opening hours also.

The Valencian Community Hospitality and Tourism Busi‐ ness Confederation (Conhos‐ tur), which represents these in‐ dustries in Valencia, Castellon and Alicante, plans to meet with the delegation gathered by the Ministry of Health on Tuesday, April 20 to discuss the options for relaxing the current measures.

Given the “good epidemio‐ logical situation that remains stable in the Valencian Commu‐ nity” and the “great effort made by companies and busi‐

nesses and workers of the sec‐ tor assuming very hard restric‐ tions,” the representatives will table the motion of allowing bars, restaurants and cafes to remain open until curfew (cur‐ rently 10pm) with a capacity of up to two‐thirds indoors, as re‐ ported by Spanish news outlet Levante.

In addition, Conhostur plans to demand a “specific stage plan for the activities of ban‐ quet halls and events, which at this moment have important restrictions regarding the num‐ ber of diners per event (15 and 20 people, depending on whether it is indoors or ter‐ races) that makes its activity im‐ possible to practise.”

They would also like to see the re‐establishment of self‐ser‐ vice buffets with appropriate safety measures.

For his part, the president of the Valencian Community, Xi‐ mo Puig, who received his first dose of the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine on Monday, April 19, has said in recent days that he is more than willing to consider relaxing restrictions to a small degree if the number of infec‐ tions continues to decrease.

NEWS

Passport to normality ANA BARCELO, who heads the regional government’s De‐ partment of Health, has received her first dose of the As‐ traZeneca vaccine.

As a 62‐year‐old, this is the vaccine currently adminis‐ tered to Barcelo’s age group, and she emphasised that it was safe and reliable with benefits “far outweighing” pos‐ sible adverse reactions.

The Health chief lives in Sax and was vaccinated at El‐ da’s Pabellon Azul sports centre which has been convert‐ ed into a mass vaccination centre.

“Vaccination is the beginning of the end of the pan‐ demic,” Barcelo said.

“It is the only way out of the health crisis,” she de‐ clared.

Shortly afterwards, referring to the Costa Blanca, the Generalitat president Ximo Puig told a Cadena Ser radio interviewer that Covid passports were the answer to re‐ activating tourism.

“What is important is that in June the possibility will exist of travelling throughout Europe,” Puig said, while conceding that it was likely that the passports might need to be renewed annually.

Referring to the European travel, the regional president also raised the likelihood of Covid‐safe travel corridors with, inevitably, special emphasis on the UK. “Obviously, if this option were to exist it would con‐ tribute enormously our economic recovery,” Puig said.

Consum hiring COSTA BLANCA supermarket chain Consum is to hire 4,000 staff for reinforcement for the summer months and to cover the holidays of staff at its 460 supermarkets.

The full and part-time positions will have three to six-month contracts with salaries starting at €1,200.

Consum created nearly 1,400 jobs in 2020 to reach a workforce of about 17,400 people.

In recognition of the ‘enormous effort’ made by staff throughout this pandemic year, the Cooperative awarded its employees with two ‘Covid bonuses’, which amounted to an average of €600 combined.

The bonuses were handed out in March 2020 and January 2021 at a cost of more than €8.5 million to the company.

Last month, retail giant Mercadona announced the creation of a range of new jobs throughout the country in the run-up to Easter and summer 2021.

The company is currently sourcing staff for various establishments and positions all across Spain.

The main positions on offer are for supermarket staff to serve at the tills and replenish stock, while the company is also recruiting warehouse personnel.

In the province of Alicante, there are vacancies at Mercadona’s establishments in Orihuela, Albatera, Crevillent, Calpe, Benissa and Aspe among others, while several locations in both Valencia and Castellon were also seeking new staff for their summer and Easter campaigns.

The supermarket also recently confirmed its intention to distribute more than €4 million in bonuses to its 90,000 workforce throughout Spain and Portugal as a thank you for their efforts during the pandemic.

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Carp-R-Us TM Lions Helping Raquel Paya School THE weather was again poor as Carp-R-Us fished Round Five of their Spring Series at El Bosquet. The rain at least held off until about 10.00, but after that the match was fished in a steady downpour and a temperature of no more than 12°, typical UK April weather.

The match itself was won by Steve Fell who had 22.60kg from peg 1 caught using pole with either maggots or bread. Second from peg 2 was Alan Smith with 12.30kg.

Third was Roy Dainty with 6.25kg of mainly barbel caught late on using maggots and feeder and fourth was Ken Wilcock with 5.75kg of mainly decent mullet caught on the pole.

Anyone wishing to join the club contact us via the website: www.carp-r-us.weebly. com or email stevefell@rocketmail.com.

RAQUEL PAYA is a specialist education centre in Denia which focuses on providing education and training to children and young adults with learning difficulties, particularly in terms of preparing the young people to fulfil active roles in society as they approach adulthood.

Over the years, TM Lions have become aware of the work and dedication of the team there and are happy to support them in any way they can.

One of their recent initiatives was to equip an area with laundry equip-

ment. Not only does this provide yet another opportunity for the students to practise every day activities, but also allows the staff to have freshly laundered workwear to ensure all necessary precautions for operating in the pandemic are adhered to.

TM Lions were happy to assist and purchased a washing machine and tumble dryer for the team to have installed in their laundry area. They wish the team and students many happy hours working with this equipment!

If you’d like to know

NEW EQUIPMENT: For the team and students to use. more about the work of the TM Lions, please take a look at their web page www.tmlions.com. There are also details here of how to get involved. THey also have a GoFundMe page if you would like to

support them - go to https://www.gofundme.co m/f/teulada-moraira-lions.

The donations the TM Lions make are only possible because of the generosity of their supporters. They are pleased to report that their

popular charity shop - the Lion’s Den - is open again.

It can be found a couple of doors away from Letters R Us beneath the Pepe La Sal supermarket on the Centro Comercial, Moraira, just past the fountain roundabout on Ctra Moraira-Teulada.

They have also started discussions about future concert dates. This is dependent on being able to operate in a safe environment for all concerned, but they are looking to reintroduce these concerts to raise funds and because we all enjoy them!

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NEWS

EXCLUSIVE

How Terra Natura Benidorm has adapted to the pandemic WHEN the pandemic halted nature-based tourism worldwide, environmentalists warned of farreaching consequences as zoos, parks and reserves were forced to remain afloat without visitors.

Terra Natura Benidorm is no exception, and for the first time in 16 years was forced to close to the public from March until June 21, 2020. It is currently open only at weekends and during holidays.

But throughout the unprecedented difficult period, the welfare of the animals has remained paramount, and the management adapted normal day-to-day activities to ensure the 1,500 animals of 150 different species - the majority of which are endangered - continue to receive the level of care they need.

Blissfully unaware of the global health crisis, the calls of the exquisite black-furred Siamang gibbons continue to resonate around the 32-acre park.

Giant Indian rhinoceros Shiwa continues to nurture her twoyear-old daughter Duna, under the watchful eye of Aunt Nicha, and the majestic Bengal tiger family, including ‘papa’, an im-

pressive white tiger, still enjoy luxurious afternoons lazing in the sun.

All of this has been made possible due to the unwavering dedication of park management and staff, with the financial support of holding company, Grupo Fuertes, one of Spain’s main business groups which manages around 20 companies.

“It has been a very difficult year for everybody,” Terra Natura Benidorm’s marketing director Begoña Lopez Boluda told Euro Weekly News: “Having to close was a massive blow, and when we reopened in June, it was with capacity restrictions, firstly 30 per cent and then 50 per cent.

“Fortunately, the park has 32 acres, so capacity hasn’t really been a problem, but our volcano where the reptiles live remains closed to the public because it is an enclosed space,” said Begoña, adding that for the moment the restaurants are shut - though there is ample space for picnics and interactive activities are temporarily suspended.

On entering the nature park, temperature checks are carried

PETITA: Enjoying life. out, hand sanitiser is provided and masks are mandatory, as is social distancing.

“We check every day if there have been any changes to the regulations, and the National Police along with a representative from Benidorm’s local authority regularly visit the park unannounced to check we are following all the government-led guidelines,” explained Begoña.

“The government has given us certain certifications which we have published so that visitors can see that this is a safe environment.”

Terra Natura’s 1,500 animals receive attention from a specialised team of caregivers, biolo-

gists and vets 365 days a year.

“During the three-month closure last year, two teams of caregivers were set up in case a member of one team was unwell. That way we could ensure the animals were cared for throughout. The only real difference for the animals was the lack of visitors.”

Begoña added: “We are a private business, so there was no financial help from the authorities.

Grupo Fuertes has been helping and looking out for us during the crisis.”

Fortunately, all the staff at Terra Natura have kept their jobs, through ERTE and reduced hours in some cases, and when the Euro Weekly News visited the park at the weekend, there was an unmistakable air of positivity as families were welcomed at the gates.

“We have a wonderful offer for families to enjoy the park at a discounted price throughout the year, and while numbers are

down, there has definitely been an upturn in visitors,” said Begoña.

Not only are visitors treated to the opportunity to see fascinating creatures through to majestic mammals close-up, they are also transported into a tranquil, lush environment as Terra Natura strives to recreate an element of Asia, India and America.

“We work for the physical and emotional well-being of animals both individually and in species by understanding their nature, their care, their needs and threats in their natural environment.

“We have tried to recreate everything they would find in their own environment, and knowledge and proximity to the animals facilitates the sensitisation and empathy of our visitors regarding living things and the importance of biodiversity,” explained management at the park.

Terra Natura participates in

breeding and conservation strategies for endangered species (EEPs and SBs), and in 2015 welcomed Indian rhinoceros Susto Spain’s first Indian rhinoceros born in captivity.

The Agriculture and Environment Agency carries out annual inspections, and Terra Natura collaborates with other environmental institutions, including ZIMS, AIZA and EAZA. “We also cooperate with the Guardia Civil, if they find animals locally we help with vets etc, and likewise if birds of prey are injured through hunting or flying into electric cables, they often come here to be cared for.

“We would prefer not to exist because that would mean there were no endangered species, but there are, and they need our help. Habitats are being destroyed, for example in Asia palm trees are being cut down forcing animals out of their own environment into urban areas where they are at risk of being killed.”

The crisis has plunged Terra Natura Benidorm into unprecedented times, but management and staff are determined to continue putting the needs of the lions, tigers, elephants, rhinoceros, birds of prey, bats, crocodiles and so many other species first.

Terra Natura Benidorm is open Saturday and Sunday from 10.30am to 6pm.

Terra Natura: Foia del Verdader, 1, 03502 Benidorm, Alicante 966 072 770 info@terranatura.com • https://benidorm.terranatura.com/ https://www.facebook.com/TerraNaturaZoo

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MONTGO GOLF SOCIETY REPORT AFTER the cancellation of last week’s competition due to the rain, Montgo members were keen to get out on the course again.

We only had 13 players this week, some have returned to the UK and our Competi‐ tions Secretary, George was having his first Covid vaccination.

It was good to see the return of Sally and Keith Cottrell. We played a Texas Scramble, sponsored by Caz Welch and Alan Lowans, with the winners Sally Cottrell, Peter Gar‐ diner and Neil Cuming on nett 69, and second were Sue Burman, Geoff Will‐ cock and Brian Stringer with a nett 70.

Nearest the pins went to Keith Cottrell and Geoff Willcock (much to his sur‐ prise as he couldn’t have been further from the hole and still on the green). Ge‐ off’s surprise was only sur‐ passed by his team’s five on the 18th hole after be‐ ing in the trees twice, a third shot to the fairway, a long shot to the green and Geoff holing a huge putt.

Let’s hope that excite‐ ment continues next week when George Braddick is the sponsor for the St George’s Day Trophy. Red and white colours being the order of the day.

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A Lack of Bookings take a Surge Accountability CRITICISM is being levelled at Spain’s President Pedro Sanchez over a lack of accountability over the State of Alarm after he last year extended the State of Alarm to six months from the normal 15 days set out.

The politician is also being slammed for only giving three hours of speeches over the State of Alarm in six months.

Pedro Sanchez has now said that the State of Alarm in Spain will end on May 9.

The decree establishes restrictions for the movement of people that the autonomous communities have been applying.

Among these limitations have been the curfew to limit mobility at night and the perimeter closures of autonomous communities, provinces or municipalities, as well as confinements of certain ar‐ eas.

Save The Mar Menor MURCIA’S regional government launched an urgent plan to save the Mar Menor.

The Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (M I T ECO) has published a report containing a battery of urgent actions required to protect and aid the recovery of Spain’s Mar Menor.

Situated in Murcia in the south-eastern part of the country, the Mar Menor is Europe’s largest saltwater lagoon and home to the famous mud baths which attract throngs of tourists every year for their reported healing qualities.

Back in November 2019, residents woke to the horrific sight of hundreds of dead

fish washed up along the shores, something which the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (I EO) attributed to the heavy rains in the area. In fact, the IEO predicted that some 80 per cent of the flora and fauna of the Mar Menor had perished due to a lack of oxygen.

Now, the new publication

by MITECO aims to develop a green programme for the recovery of the area that will organise and prioritise actions to reduce the contribution of pollutants. The main actions will be to monitor local activity for any unauthorised practices that may impact marine life, such as illegal dumping, and to issue heavy sanctions for any transgressions.

THE president of Spain’s govern‐ ment, Pedro Sanchez, an‐ nounced recently that May 9 is the date when the State of Alarm ends in the country. This has led to a rush in hotel reservations shooting up 122 per cent from one week to the next.

There is a breath of air for the tourism sector and it seems that the Canary Islands, Andalucia and the Balearic Islands are the desti‐ nations preferred by the Spanish when it comes to starting what is already known as ‘the great stam‐ pede.’ But, as Ricardo Fernández

(Destinia’s CEO) advises, “you have to be prudent.”

The majority of fresh bookings are for local regional stays as bor‐ ders still remain closed in most communities. However, it is ex‐ pected that by May, many of these restrictions will be lifted.

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22 - 28 April 2021 FOLLOWING an outpouring of concern from expats that the high prices being charged in the UK for PCR tests to travel could prevent loved ones seeing each other again, the EWN has begun a campaign to help make a difference.

According to reports, the price of PCR tests for travel can range from £60 (€69) to £214 (€246).

And while the UK requires tests on both entering and leaving, this could add hundreds to the price of travel for many hoping to see their friends and family again this summer.

After the Euro Weekly News ran a poll asking readers whether they believed the UK government should introduce a price limit on the cost of tests, a whopping 85.2 per cent agreed prices should be capped.

Now CEO of the EWN, Michel Euesden, has written to the UK’s

Rights Campaign Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps MP, calling on him to introduce a price cap on PCR tests making them more affordable for Britons in Spain looking forward to seeing their loved ones again when international travel is permitted.

In her letter, Michel wrote: “With around 360,000 Britons in Spain, many of whom still have family, homes and businesses in the UK, readers have been getting in touch concerned about the price of UK PCR tests for international travel.

“After such a long separation from loved ones during the pandemic it is a priority for Britons here for tests to be affordable enough to see their families again.

AS the pre‐election campaigns begin to heat up ahead of the May 4 elections in Madrid, relations between the PSOE and Podemos are becoming increasingly strained, so much so that many autonomous communi‐ ties are gearing up for an announcement that the general elections will be moved forward.

The Spanish general elections, during which all 350 seats in the Congress of

Michel & Steven Euesden.

“The many Britons here with tourism-related businesses are also eager to ensure that UK travellers are not deterred from visiting Spain this summer due to the high price of tests.

“I would be very grateful, therefore, if you could please tell me if the government has any plans to introduce a cap on the price companies can charge UK travellers? Or whether it plans to introduce a standard test price to help UK nationals reunite with

General Election Deputies will be up for grabs, as well as 208 of 265 seats in the Senate, can be held no later than December 2023.

But recently, Deputy Prime Minister Car‐ men Calvo hinted that they could take place as early as October this year, with members of the PSOE suggesting they will definitely

NEWS

their loved ones?”

The EWN is now waiting for the government’s response and is encouraging Britons in Spain concerned about the impact of high costs on seeing family and on business to get involved with its campaign via our petition here.

Trish in Vera, who signed the petition, said: “I live alone in Spain after my husband died. I am a pensioner on a fixed income and all my family live in the UK. I would like the chance to go and see them and vice versa without it causing any of us financial hardship.”

To make your voice heard and to support all Brits hoping to see their families again, as well as our tourism industry, join our petition now at www.euroweeklynews.com and work together to help bring families together again this summer.

happen “before the spring of 2022.”

One of the main concerns of all political parties in Spain at the moment is the eco‐ nomic and tax future of the country, which currently faces a deficit of €80 billion in 2021 alone. The socialist ranks in particular are nervous that no matter how much of a positive spin the government puts on eco‐ nomic recovery, the EU may step in if they detect further financial difficulties.

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NEWS

Virtual Dog Walk to raise money for guide dogs

GUIDE DOGS: Are trained to help blind people.

DOG lovers on the Costa Blanca are being encouraged to grab their leads and put on their walking boots to join hundreds of other people in a virtual walk for charity.

To celebrate International Guide Dog Day (April 28) and raise funds for the ONCE Foundation for Guide Dogs (FOPG), Specsavers Ópticas is launching its Virtual Dog Walk 2021 initiative.

Taking place between April 26 and May 2, this will be a chance to fund the vital work that this guide dog association does and allow dog owners to get involved with the campaign without concerns about social distancing and Covid19 restrictions.

Mike Stone from Specsavers Ópticas in Javea and Calpe explains, “Due to the pandemic, we have sadly been unable to plan any big public events this past year to support our national chosen charity, the ONCE Foundation for Guide Dogs (FOPG). However, we are not going to be defeated by lockdown restrictions and have an exciting new campaign to raise vital funds for the charity - a virtual dog walk.

To put it simply, members of the public will be encouraged to walk their chosen distance with (or without) their dog and help raise money for FOPG. All they need to do is donate a minimum of €5 to the charity in their local Specsavers Ópticas store and choose a walking route and distance that suits them - along the

beach, in their local park, wide open spaces or just down their local streets. It’s entirely up to them.

Not only will this event raise much-needed funds for the charity, it will also increase awareness of the important work they do in breeding and training guide dogs and placing them with people with severe visual impairment in the community, enabling them to live the fullest lives possible.

We have pledged to raise over €5,000 for FOPG during 2021 and this will be an important event to help us to reach our goal and fund the training of the guide dogs, which are so essential.

To participate in the Virtual Dog Walk, visit your local Specsavers Ópticas store to make a donation to FOPG and collect your Virtual Dog Walk Certificate.

There are stores in Javea, Calpe, Benidorm, Torrevieja, Guardamar and La Zenia on the Costa Blanca.

Specsavers Ópticas want to see participants getting involved and share the love. They’re asking you to take a picture of your dog on their walk and tag @Specsavers Opticas on Facebook or @specsaversspain on Instagram and the best will be shared to show our support for guide dogs. To find your nearest store to make a donation visit www.specsavers.es.

To find out more about FOPG visit www.perrosguias.once.es.

About FOPG Fundación ONCE del Perro Guía (FOPG) is a welfare foundation created by ONCE in 1990

with the purpose of breeding and training guide dogs for people with severe blindness or visual impairment. It provides its services to people with visual disabilities throughout Spain, by virtue of the collaboration with ONCE itself, and offers the guide dog as a free social service for people affiliated with that organisation who request it and are eligible.

The FOPG is a permanent member of the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF), the European Guide Dog Federation (EGDF) and the European Breeding Network, a working group specialised in the breeding and genetic improvement of guide dogs in Europe and the USA. The foundation breeds its own dogs and takes responsibility for the entire process of training the guide dog and pairing it with the most suitable applicant. They also train the new owner how to make best use of this mobility aid and supports both the owner and the dog throughout its life as a guide dog.

The work of this foundation is essential to increase the autonomy of blind people or those with a serious visual disability. Changing from walking with a cane to doing it with a guide dog represents a huge improvement in their mobility, speed and security of their movements and allows them to integrate with society in a much more meaningful way.

Find out more about FOPG www.perrosguias.once.es.

NEWS

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Vaccine Side Effects A MAGNIFYING glass has been put on the side effects of getting vaccinated against Covid-19, due to the rare blood clots reported amongst some who have received the AstraZeneca, Vaxzevria and the Janssen doses. It has been recommended to visit a doctor if you begin with symptoms that do not improve or subside after two days.

One EWN reader, Sarah, reported: “I had mild side effects from the AstraZeneca vaccine and I am 26 years old. Side effects lasted for two days and mine included feeling very tired and a slight headache. I think getting the vaccine outweighs the risk of these mild side effects.”

These are the common side effects for each vaccine: AstraZeneca • Fever • Injection site reactions such as pain, swelling of the lymph nodes on the same side as the injection, swelling, redness at the site of puncture.

• Vomiting and diarrhoea • Rare thromboembolic events Moderna • Injection site reactions such as pain, swelling of lymph nodes on the same side as the injection, swelling, redness at the puncture site • Fatigue, headaches, muscle pain, pain in joints, chills, nausea, fever and vomiting • Rarely, a severe reaction would include swelling of the face and throat, shortness of

breath, fast heartbeat, severe skin rash on the body, weakness and dizziness Pfizer-BioNTech • Injection site reactions such as pain, swelling of lymph nodes on the same side as the injection, swelling, redness at the puncture site • Fatigue, headaches, muscle pain, pain in joints, chills, nausea, general discomfort, fever and vomiting • Rarely, a severe reaction would include swelling of the face and throat, shortness of breath, fast heartbeat, severe skin rash on the body, weakness and dizziness • A very small possibility of allergic reaction which would cause breathing difficulties, swelling of the throat and face, fast heartbeat, a severe rash on the body, weakness and dizziness Janssen • Fever • Injection site reactions such as pain, swelling and redness at the puncture site • Headache, tiredness, nausea, muscle aches and fever • A very small possibility of allergic reaction which would cause breathing difficulties, swelling of the throat and face, fast heartbeat, a severe rash on the body, weakness and dizziness • Rare thromboembolic events The Janssen vaccine has been halted in Europe due to investigations by the United States into rare thromboembolic events.

22 - 28 April 2021

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NEWS

UK Covid Checkpoints Child Protection Law EXPATS face ‘up to six hour’ waits at UK Covid checkpoints due to people not having the correct documentation to return home.

Footage that has emerged showing a woman collapsed at Heathrow after reportedly wait-

ing seven hours in a queue for a Covid test has led to widespread concern in the expat community wanting to return to the UK. After Heathrow chief solutions officer Chris Garton confirmed that the Home Office has not increased the number of border

control staff, excessive waiting times in crowded airports are now added to concerns of pricy coronavirus test kits and complicated paperwork.

One worried Facebook user posted on a local information site on behalf on an elderly friend soon to travel back to the UK who is concerned about ‘scare stories’ she has heard about waiting times. Many helpful expats replied to confirm that while leaving Spain had been a breeze in most cases, it was a different story once they landed in the UK. One Euro Weekly News reader told the paper that he was not allowed to board a flight at Alicante airport at the end of March as he had neglected to complete the traveller locater form, and had to book another flight a few days later. Yet another traveller posted in a popular Facebook group for expats and explained that, while her experience was positive, she witnessed people being refused entry at the UK border for not having a reference number for their booked Covid tests on their forms.

SPAIN’S lower house of parliament took another step forward on Thursday, April 17 in approving the pioneering new legislation which aims to better protect children and adolescents in Spain, with 268 votes in favour, 57 against and 16 abstentions.

The Social Rights Commission of the Congress of Deputies approved a draft bill of the groundbreaking Rhodes Law on Wednesday, April 7, and it will next pass to the Senate for final approval. It is hoped that the new legislation will be published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) by June.

Lucai Munoz of the Unidas Podemos party said on Thursday that the approval of the law puts Spain at the forefront of the protection and promotion of the rights of children.

Driven by the Department of Social Rights, the new legislature will extend the statute of limitations on serious crimes against minors until they are 30 years of age, whereas it currently runs out when they turn 18.

Additionally, the law will prohibit the hiring of anyone who has been previously convicted of

PROTECTION: For the legal rights of children. abusing a minor to jobs dealing with children, such as schools and leisure centres.

A specific article is included to prevent parents gaining joint custody of a child in a family environment where gender violence has been observed, and a comprehensive care package will be provided for children who have been subject to violent crimes of a sexual or genderbased nature.

Specialist units within the authorities will be developed to deal with victims of abuse and

dedicated training will be provided to judges and prosecutors.

One of the major changes will be the removal of the use of the socalled Parental Alienation Syndrome (SAP), which has long been accused of allowing undue parental influence over abuse cases.

Guarantees will also be strengthened so that minors can participate in legal proceedings; a judge will therefore be prevented from rejecting the testimony of a minor ‘due to lack of maturity.’

NEWS

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EWN 13

Smoking Ban Divide Wine price influences IN what many are considering yet another blow to Spain’s hospitality industry and future tourism prospects, in a surprise move on Thursday April 15, the

Ministry of Health confirmed that they had drafted a proposal prohibiting smoking on all outdoor terraces, regardless of whether or not a two-metre

Spain To Relaunch Cruise Industry AFTER months of uncertainty, the Spanish Government has announced that a pilot project will be conducted at the port of Barcelona, in conjunction with Costa Cruises and MSC to evalu‐ ate the reintroduction of cruises in the country this summer.

The president of the port confirmed that the first cruise pas‐ sengers will arrive in Barcelona in June, although they will not be permitted to visit restaurants, bars or shops.

The first liners will disembark at only 10 per cent capacity ‐ that’s a maximum of 600 people per cruise on ships that can carry 5,500 passengers, and Costa will carry out Covid tests on all travellers; they’ll also be offered a PCR test before returning home after the trip.

“We will organise shows with small groups, we will elimi‐ nate the free buffet and we will reduce capacity. We have also equipped the ventilation systems with new filters,” Costa Cruises told Spanish outlet Nius Diario.

In addition, the MSC group will require its passengers to wear an electronic bracelet that allows them to open doors without touching them, and can also track any possible infec‐ tions.

safety distance can be maintained.

The proposal has divided opinion, which is hardly surprising since the regional governments of the autonomous communities can’t seem to agree on whether it’s a good idea either.

There are currently six communities in Spain which have imposed a total ban on smoking and the use of electronic cigarettes on outdoor terraces of bars, restaurants and cafes: Valencia, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Cantabria, Asturias and Aragon.

As soon as the proposed measure was announced, the Gremi de Restauracio union in Barcelona completely rejected the ban, insisting that it “is not endorsed by any type of scientific support.”

Ministry of Health sources confirmed that while a draft study has been compiled, it has not yet been submitted and wasn’t on the table for discussion at the meeting of the Public Health Commission on Thursday, April 15.

THE price of wine can vary as‐ tonishingly, from amazingly cheap to staggeringly expen‐ sive, but a study has found that the price of wine can influence how much you enjoy it. Brits in Spain have explained how the price of wine affects them, and spoken about the quality of lo‐ cal Spanish wines.

Spain is home to a stunning variety of wines and the impor‐ tant things to know are the dif‐ ferent grape varieties and the geographical location which the wine comes from.

Spanish wines come from a stunning 69 major wine re‐ gions, each of which has their own quality standards and wine laws. According to wine‐ tourismspain, “Spain has 69 major wine regions, the more correct term being “Designa‐ tion of Origin” (DO).

A study carried out by the University of Basel in Switzer‐ land tested out a series of wines using their real price, no price and a fake price. It now seems that how expensive you think a wine is affects how much you enjoy it.

SPANISH WINE: There is a stunning variety available.

European Coffee MANY expats and Spanish alike cannot think about starting the day off without a good cup of coffee, but something which is not known to many is that Spain produces the only coffee in Europe. In order to find this coffee though you would have to go on a hunt.

The coffee from the Agaete valley is said to be not only a gourmet coffee but one of the best in the world. The town can be found in the north‐east of the island of Gran Canaria. The Spanish island is a stun‐ ning tourist attraction mainly known for its beaches, and many cruise ships stop off in Gran Canaria’s Las Palmas.

Many people cannot start the day without a cup of coffee, but what makes a perfect coffee for you and where do you find it? Coffee is only normally grown in countries which have a subtropical or tropi‐ cal climate and the beverage is one of the most consumed in the world.

The Canary Islands have been home to coffee plantations since the 18th century, but this is not a very well‐known fact. The area not only produces coffee but also grows avocados, mangoes and oranges in the volcanic soil.

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FEATURE

Living will and advance directives in Spain. Decisions on medical actions, organ donation, vegetative state. Legal advice.

IN the Valencia Community, the living Will and advance di‐ rectives are regulated in DE‐ CREE 168/2004. Through the living will or advance direc‐ tives, instructions can be left on: ‐ Actions and medical deci‐ sions to take. In other words, you can indicate how you want the medical team to act in certain circumstances. Nor‐ mally, it refers to situations of loss of capacity, vegetative status, etc. Thus, the grantor of this document, can be left pre‐established instructions in certain cases.

Anticipating the possibility that the person may not be able to express himself, when the time comes. ‐ You can also record your decision regarding the dona‐ tion of your organs: Whether for therapeutic, educational or research purposes.

Criteria to take into ac‐ count Without going into what could be the thought or opin‐ ion of each person, in this re‐ gard. The truth is that for

many people, it is essential to maintain a quality of life. This could translate into: ‐ Be able to communicate with other people. ‐ Do not suffer continuous and intense pain, whether physical or mental. ‐ Maintain functional inde‐ pendence And therefore, the lack of these minimums, can lead some people to decide that they wish not to prolong life. If these minimums, considered by them, cannot be achieved.

Sanitary situations and in‐ structions Consequently, the living will or advance directives, normal‐ ly, refers to how to act in the different possible scenarios, such as: ‐ Terminal and irreversible disease ‐ Chronic vegetative life. ‐ Severe dementia. ‐ Chronic pain, etc.

Thus, by means of this tes‐ tament, and for the indicated situations, each individual could, in advance, confirm what are the instructions for the medical team. Mainly, about: 1. Artificial prolongation or not, of the life by means of medical techniques, etc.

2. The supply of drugs to al‐ leviate or suppress the pain, mental suffering, etc.

3. That a dignified death is guaranteed.

Who can sign a living will or advance directive?

It can be done by anyone, who is of legal age. Must also have sufficient legal capacity.

How can it be done?

It can be done before the administration and with wit‐ nesses: normally, before the Patient Attention and Infor‐ mation Service, although the most common is that it is done before a Spanish public

Carlos Baos (Lawyer) - White&Baos Tel: +34 966 426 185 info@white-baos.com White & Baos 2021 - All Rights Reserved.

notary.

Appointment of represen‐ tative It is possible, and also very common, that representatives are also appointed. These will be the people who will decide and will be the interlocutors, with the medical teams.

Fundamentally, their mis‐ sion is to make sure to enforce instructions, interpret them, etc.

In addition, the living will or advance directives, in the Va‐ lencian Community, will be registered in the Centralised Register of Advance Wills of the Valencian Community.

In relation to this possibility, it may also be of interest to take appropriate advice on how to make a will in Spain.

Also, check the convenience of making a power of attorney in the case of loss of capacity.

That could facilitate our rela‐ tives and friends, manage our assets, when the time comes.

If you want expert advice, please contact us at www.white‐baos.com

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Booster Shot will be likely THOUSANDS of British and Spanish nationals have already received their vaccinations, some were administered with the A stra Zeneca vaccine and others with the P fizer/ B iontech drug.

P fizer I nc’s C E O is now

saying he believes people will most ‘likely’ need a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

During a panel discussion hosted by CNBC in conjunction with C V S Health that aired on Thursday April 15, Albert Bourla said a poten-

tial booster shot would be administered six to 12 months of being fully vaccinated. Bourla added that he thinks it is possible that people will need to be immunised against coronavirus annually.

R esearchers still don’t know how long protection against the virus lasts once someone has been fully vaccinated.

Vaccination Passports IN an enormous boost to summer tourism in Spain, the general secretary of Digi‐ tal Health, Information and Innovation Alfredo González, confirmed on Thursday, April 15 that travellers from Eu‐ rope to Spain that hold valid

Lower Fares SPANISH Rail Operator Renfe has announced it will lower the rates for the AVE and long‐distance trains throughout the summer. Renfe is to scrap its previous 148 rates and come down to just three, the new simpler rates and discounts ap‐ ply for seniors, families and young people.

The president of Renfe, Isaís Táboas, explained that this new system ‐ matching that of aviation ‐ will also solve the problem that many people now face who cannot apply the discounts to which they are entitled to in the lowest rates.

The new system establishes three ticket options: Basic (the cheapest), Choose (the most flexible) and Premium, (all‐inclu‐ sive), which can be customised with additional services.

Renfe already offers the possibility of buying one‐year tickets, which will be added to the new system ‐ managers hope to encourage advance purchases of these lucrative tickets as much as possible.

vaccination cards ‐ or Digital Green Certificates as they are to be officially known in the EU ‐ will not have to go the expense of getting a Covid test done or enter into a period of quarantine on ar‐ rival. Speaking at a National Health System meeting, the secretary said that the cer‐ tificate, which will take the form of a QR code, will be rolled out in Spain in June and will open up the country to “more people in a safer manner.”

“This certificate is not a passport, it’s not a travel doc‐ ument, and it’s not a require‐ ment for travel,” the general secretary clarified. “It’s a mechanism that will facilitate mobility in the European Union. It will respect data protection, safety and priva‐ cy. It is planned so that it will not be discriminatory, and that is one of the major ad‐ vantages,” he added.

NEWS

New Speed Limits IN a bid to cut down on the number of road traffic acci‐ dents in Spain, new laws will come into force throughout the country on May 11, dras‐ tically reducing the speed limit on city streets.

On November 10, 2020, the Council of Ministers ap‐ proved a package of legal re‐ forms with the aim of reduc‐ ing the number of road deaths and serious injuries by 50 per cent.

The modification of the Traffic Regulations means that from May 11, the speed limit on one‐way streets in urban areas will be reduced to 30km/hour, while larger vehicles carry‐ ing dangerous goods will circulate at a maximum of 40 km/hour on city roads of two or more lanes.

On all other crossings, the maximum speed limit will be 50km/hour, while munic‐ ipal councils may be able to increase the speed on one‐ way streets in exceptional circumstances.

FEATURE

www.euroweeklynews.com

22 - 28 April 2021

EWN 17

Do UK pensions now attract wealth tax in Spain?

Generally, Brexit has not affected the tax treatment for UK nationals settled in Spain. However, there may be a change in the way UK pensions are treated when it comes to Spanish wealth tax.

So if you are Spanish resident with a UK pension plan, you may have to potentially defend your position with the tax authorities to prevent a new wealth tax liability.

Pensions and wealth tax in Spain

Spanish wealth tax rules

UK pension plans (other than purchased annuities), have generally been exempt from Spanish wealth tax. But now that UK pensions have become ‘third country’ (non-EU/EEA) assets, they may no longer qualify for the exclusion. This means that UK personal pensions and SIPPs (Self-Invested Personal Pensions) may now fall into the Spanish wealth tax calculation.

from the Directorate-General for Tax in Spain states that “pension plans established in non-EU member states may not benefit from the [wealth tax] exemption”.

Although pension plans are not usually captured by Spanish wealth tax, as with many tax matters in Spain, this is not clear-cut.

The current law on wealth tax exemptions does not differentiate between Spanish and foreign/EU and non-EU pension plans, so both should be treated the same.

However, a 2019 binding ruling

Because there is no distinction between Spanish/non-Spanish pension plans in the actual wording of the law, lawyers could argue that UK pensions remain exempt. But this is not a given – as Brexit is such a new state of play, this is an untested position so it is unclear what the outcome would be.

By Brett Hanson, Senior Partner, Blevins Franks

Spanish residents face wealth tax on worldwide assets; for nonresidents it affects Spanish assets only. It is payable each December on the total net value of most capital assets, including real estate, savings and investments, shareholdings, jewellery, art, antiques, cars and boats. General household contents, certain shareholdings in family companies, business assets – and usually pension rights – are not subject to wealth tax.

2021 wealth tax rates and allowances There is a personal tax-free allowance of €700,000 per person, which can vary regionally. Spanish residents can get an additional allowance of up to €300,000 against the value of their main

home (excluding properties owned through corporate structures).

Here in Comunidad Valenciana, the individual allowance is lower than the state level, reduced from €700,000 to €500,000.

Rates range from 0.25% on assets up to €167,129 to 3.5% on assets over €10,695,996.

pliant options. With UK pensions, for example, you could transfer funds into a Spanish arrangement or an EU-based QROPS (Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pensions Scheme) that will qualify for the wealth tax exemption. Doing so could also unlock other benefits not usually available to UK pensions, such as currency and estate planning flexibility.

Reducing your exposure Depending on your circumstances, there may be options to reduce your wealth tax liability.

For example, there are some taxefficient investment structures that can allow you to reduce both your income and wealth tax bill in Spain.

If you are worried about the impact of wealth tax – or that the value of your UK pensions may now push your worldwide assets into scope for wealth tax – make sure you review your arrangements. A specialist adviser can assess your situation to establish any wealth tax implications and recommend suitable Spanish-com-

With expert, cross-border advice, you can take advantage of suitable tax-efficient opportunities to prevent a higher tax bill than necessary and make the most out of living in Spain.

The tax rates, scope and reliefs may change. Any statements concerning taxation are based upon our understanding of current taxation laws and practices which are subject to change. Tax information has been summarised; individuals should seek personalised advice.

You can find other financial advisory articles by visiting our website here www.blevinsfranks.com

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THE Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immuni‐ sation (JCVI) in the UK has now advised that preg‐ nant women can be offered the Covid‐19 vaccine.

This change to the guidance comes after data from the United States shows that 90,000 pregnant women have been vaccinated with mRNA vaccines (such as the Pfizer vaccine being used in Gibraltar) without any specific safety concerns being raised.

Dr Krishna Rawal, Medical Director of the Gibral‐ tar Health Authority (GHA), said: “The Covid‐19 vac‐ cine we are using in Gibraltar has undergone exten‐ sive clinical trials and has been approved as safe for use by the UK’s Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), as well as European

ON Wednesday April 14, the Professional Union of the Ertzaintza (SiPE) has requested the immediate withdrawal of the FFP2 masks because of the pulmonary risks due to graphene being found present.

Pregnant women Healthcare Regulators.

“Recent data shows that although uncommon, severe illness due to Covid‐19 is more likely in later pregnancy and that pregnant women who do get symptomatic Covid‐19 infection are two to three times more likely to give birth to their baby prema‐ turely.”

Whilst this information was released and target‐ ed at pregnant women in Gibraltar, the opinion coming via the UK Health Authority following trials in the USA appears to be appropriate for all, although local advice should also be sought.

Mask warning An investigation has begun by the AEMPS into the risk present when inhaling these nanoparti‐ cles because of pulmonary toxic‐ ity and has found that the type IIR surgical masks with graphene are being marketed in Spain.

After Canada raised the alarm over the masks, autonomous communities of the Basque Country and Castilla y Leon or‐ dered the precautionary re‐ moval of masks made with this

material. Following this, Madrid City Council then requested the withdrawal of the masks after they had been administered to municipal staff.

The specific mask models are the FFP2 Healfiber mask manu‐ factured by Shandong Shengquan and distributed by Iturri SA. Also the IIR surgical mask from the same manufac‐ turer and distributed by Amevisa SAU.

Gap Between Vaccines IN a huge about‐turn, the Ministry of Health in Spain has suggested de‐ laying the period between the first Covid vaccination and second from 21 days to 42, after previously insisting they would follow the guidelines of the jab manufacturers to the letter.

Now, ministers have backtracked and feel that expanding the time be‐ tween doses would allow for more people to receive the first vaccine in a shorter period of time.

According to the press, the proposal was to be put to the appropriate representatives of the autonomous communities on Tuesday, April 20.

The Ministry of Health has denied that the decision is already a done‐ deal, but the Ministry of Health is recommending that the space between inoculations with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines be doubled, from three weeks to a month and a half.

NEWS

WHO’s stance THE World Health Organisation’s Emergency Committee announced on Monday, April 19 - maintaining its stance on an issue that is under growing debate among governments and the travel sector experts worldwide - that the outcome of their meeting on Thursday April 15 was a recommendation that proof of vaccination should not be required by the government of any country as a condition of international travel.

The independent experts, said in a statement, that the facts and data discussed in their meeting last week cited limited evidence on whether vaccination against Covid-19 reduces people’s ability to transmit the virus and ‘the persistent inequity in global vaccine distribution.’

With this in mind, the emergency panel of the WHO has recommended that states should recognise that requiring proof of vaccination deepens inequities and promotes unequal freedom of movement, which can only come as welcome news to people who want to travel this summer, and who are still waiting patiently to know exactly what the rules will be.

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IN a bid to beat the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic in April 2020 the ‘More unstoppable than ever’ campaign was launched by Spain’s José Carreras Foundation.

In a study that has been carried out by the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute in collaboration with the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute researchers have discovered that a person’s genes could be used to predict the severity of Covid 19 in an individual.

There is a dramatic variation in how Covid 19

Covid-19 Predictions affects people, from them being asymptomatic and showing no clinical symptoms, all the way up to those who require ICU support. The ongoing Coronavirus pandemic has claimed over one million lives across Europe already.

Researchers now believe they have discovered a potential indicator of why these symp-

toms vary so dramatically between people.

The researchers carried out a study on around 400 people who were not considered to be in any of the normal “at risk groups” for the virus, and who had tested positive.

The expert explained that, “We found that there were epigenetic variations, in the chemi-

NEWS

Symptoms vary widely.

cal switches that regulate DNA activity, in those positive for the virus who developed severe Covid-19.”

Economic transformation

Tolls for future income

A C C O R D I N G to S pain’s P resident P edro S ánchez, €140 billion in E U funds could lead to the greatest economic transformation that Spain has seen since the 1980s.

Full details of the recovery plan have not been released but on Tuesday April 13 Sanchez hinted of how the money could be spent in the forthcoming years. In what will be the biggest public investment in recent history Sanchez aims to modernise Spain’s economy with an intensity that has not been witnessed since the late 80s, when Spain joined the European Union.

It is expected that around €72 billion could be handed out in the form of grants, and the remaining amount in loans. Back in the 1980s European cohesion funds to the tune of €8 billion were received by Spain.

The current plan is still to be finalised and member states have been given until April 30 by Brussels before plans need to be submitted. It is expected though that 29 per cent of the fund will be used for digital transformation, while 39 per cent will be used for ecological transition.

IN its latest bid to appease the European Union and assure Brussels that Spain is on top of its financial plan to cover the bailout, the government of Pedro Sanchez has amended its recovery plan to include the introduction of tolls on so-called ‘high-capacity’ roads in order to contribute toward the €140 billion expected from the EU. The plan, due to be submitted on April 30, has committed to generating an income that will guarantee the funds necessary to preserve the road network.

“The financing of high-capacity roads will be reviewed and an income system will be

established that guarantees the necessary funds for the conservation of the state road network,” the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan states.

Spain currently has one of the lowest investment rates in its roads in all of Europe, only spending around €22,489 per kilometre, according to the latest available data from the Association of Infrastructure Conservation and Exploitation Companies (Acex).

In fact, this country spends around half the amount on infrastructure as other European giants such as France, Italy and Germany.

NEWS

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22 - 28 April 2021

EWN 21

Spanglish Life? Masks after Still No Tax Hikes

SPANISH is the mother tongue of nearly 500 million people, and is the world’s second‐most spoken native language, only behind Chi‐ nese. As of January 2021, around 360,000 British citi‐ zens were registered as per‐ manent residents in Spain, according to Inews, but how many of us expats actually speak the lingo?

Well, according to a study conducted by the Foreign Office, some 58 per cent of the Britons living in Spain in‐ terviewed claimed to regu‐ larly use Spanish in their day to day lives, while a further

36 per cent said they were making efforts to learn.

On expat forums, the vari‐ ous Costas are often re‐ ferred to jokingly as ‘Little Britains’, because of the high volume of non‐Spanish residents, as well as bars, restaurants, cafes and shops that, if not staffed with na‐ tive English speakers, cer‐ tainly employ people who can speak our language flu‐ ently. So, for a person living in these areas, is it really necessary to speak the lan‐ guage? According to the vast majority of expats, the answer is a resounding yes.

ON Tuesday April 20, the plenary of the Congress of Deputies were to consider a proposal of the law of the PSOE to modify the Civil Code, the Mortgage Law and the Civil Procedure Law to provide animals with a legal status to be considered as ‘living beings endowed with sensitivity’ and not goods or things.

The initiative was approved unanimously in 2017 by the Plenary of Congress, however, it was declined due

the vaccine

THE vaccination campaign is progressing around Europe and the UK, but when will we really be able to return to ‘reality’?

It is a complex question and it seems there is no short‐term answer, however, we do know that we will not be able to re‐ turn to normal without continuing some of the protective measures we have adopted over the past year ‐ such as the use of masks, washing hands regularly and safe social distancing.

According to health authorities, it is important that we con‐ tinue these protective measures since most people who have been vaccinated will be protected from the virus but can still transmit it, even without presenting any symptoms.

It is important to note that until we have reached group im‐ munity, we will need to continue these safety measures.

It appears we could all be wearing the mask for some time to come.

New legal status to it not completing its full parliamentary process when the Cortes Generales was dissolved in March 2019.

Currently, the Civil Code endows ani-

mals with the legal status of things, specifically under the condition of ‘moveable property.’

The new proposed law introduces an article in the Civil Code that will consider animals ‘are living beings with endowed sensitivity’ and that owners must have a duty of care over them, as well as ‘ensuring their well-being, according to the characteristics of each species.’

THE Minister of Equality in Spain, Nadia Calvino has ruled out any further tax increases in the near future, despite claims from the government that they intended to raise wealth and corporate taxes as a means of stimulating national income without negatively affecting those who had been hardest hit by the pandemic.

Instead, the Minister said on Thursday, April 15, her main focus is to boost economic growth and create jobs, insisting “it is not the time to raise taxes.” Ms Calvino added that taxes have not been raised this year as the government is looking at ways to improve the current system.

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Green List ready ROBERT BOYLE, a former British Airways strategy chief, was commissioned to conduct research into the potential travel movements after the non‐essential travel ban is lift‐ ed in the UK after May 17, by

studying data that is currently available. Mr Boyle’s report predicted that only eight countries would actually be in the government’s ‘green list’, and free for British travellers to visit.

Under the government’s proposed ‘traffic light’ system, green‐listed countries will be free to visit, while returning from an amber country will re‐ quire 10 days of self‐isolation, and Mr Boyle predicted that most of Europe would only be in the amber list, including Spain, Greece, and Italy, ac‐ cording to the Daily Telegraph.

Of course, this is only his analysis report, and by May 17, many countries’ situations can change, with the good news today that Spain current‐ ly has the fastest‐growing vac‐ cination rate in mainland Eu‐ rope, which can hopefully go from strength to strength, and land Spain in the green list.

His list of predicted ‘green list’ countries are Gibraltar, the USA, Israel, Malta, Iceland, Ire‐ land, New Zealand, and Aus‐ tralia, and even tipped Turkey, France, and Croatia to end up in the ‘red list’, but he said he thought the government might not red list them due to political and economic rea‐ sons.

NEWS

ITV car sticker colours ON Saturday April 17, the N332 posted information on ITV car stickers and colours, saying on their Facebook page: “Remem‐ ber that once you get the new ITV sticker, you must remove the old one before placing the new one in its place.

“The ITV sticker is classified as sign ‘V‐19’ in the Spanish Traffic Law. It is compulsory to show it on the right‐hand side of your windscreen. Please, dis‐ play only the last one.”

The website goes on to ex‐ plain the stickers are colour

Must be displayed correctly. coded “on a three‐colour cycle of green, yellow and red.”

As long as you are displaying only one sticker on your vehicle in the required place, which is

Vaccination Race AFTER a painfully slow start, Spain has upped the ante in recent weeks in its vaccination rollout plan, to the ex‐ tent that it is now above the European Union average.

According to the latest information released by Our World In Data (OWID) which has gathered figures from most of the countries around the globe, Spain has pushed ahead of France, Germany, Italy and Portugal in terms of the number of people vaccinated.

The most recent data available from OWID relates to April 14 and 15 and shows that Spain is now in the ‘top 10,’ while the UK continues to streak ahead and is now among the countries in the world that have vaccinated the most people with the first dose.

in the upper right corner of your windscreen as you are looking out, it is then clear to traffic and police officers who are carrying out roadside checks that you have the cor‐ rect sticker displayed.

Known as the V‐19, your sticker indicates to officers that your vehicle has passed its peri‐ odic technical inspection and displays when the next inspec‐ tion is due.

This sticker is self‐adhesive and should be stuck to your windscreen, however, in vehi‐ cles that do not have a wind‐ screen it must be in a clearly visible place.

As well as the sticker, it is al‐ so mandatory to have the ITV report in your vehicle.

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NEWS

Roaming confusion AIRPORT Covid Check

FOLLOWING the UK leaving the European Union, there have been many questions and queries, one being how data roaming will work with UK phone companies. Many are still confused about using their UK phone contracts in Spain and the charges it may incur.

One confused Facebook user asked: “Has anyone recently found their U K contract phone provider has updated their fair usage policy

ROAMING: Many are confused about using UK phone contracts in Spain. following Brexit? I’ve been hit with a £40 data charge on top of monthly paid contract because I have been in Spain for longer than 63 days. It seems this was changed at

Trips For Elderly REYES MAROTO, the Minister of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism for Spain, has reaffirmed that her department is already working to accelerate the reactivation of the Imserso programme, which allows the elderly to go on trips planned by the government, and is confident that it can be resumed in October.

She said, “The elderly population has not only been the population most at risk, but at the moment it is the one that perhaps needs more affection and more encouragement when it comes to travelling. They are the first to be vaccinated and therefore the conditions are in place, so that our elders begin to travel.”

The government has reportedly allocated a budget of €118 million for the Imserso programme in 2021, and they are now busy working on a calendar of dates, although the contract has to be reapproved, as the last one was terminated due to the pandemic.

the start of January.

“Is it worth using this to escape from the contract early, as going through any policy updates this was never mentioned?”

Although having a Spanish SIM can be much easier when joining a new bank in Spain or applying for internet in your property, some users prefer to keep their old SIM contract and telephone number.

Vodafone claimed in January that they had no plans to change roaming fees, and 02 said: “We’re committed to providing our customers with great connectivity and value when they travel outside the U K. We currently have no plans to change our roaming services across Europe,” according to the BBC website.

SUMMER holiday fears for British travellers have another problem on the horizon as while giving evidence on Wednesday April 14 to the Commons Transport Select Committee, Chris Garton, the Chief solutions officer at Heathrow, told MPs passengers are being forced to queue for up to six hours due to coron‐

QUEUES: Build up at the border.

Jellyfish Invasion CONCERNED beach‐goers have been posting photos of a staggering number of jellyfish washed up on Costa Blanca shores in recent days, but the experts agree that, for the most part, they are not to be feared. While the current critters closely resemble the deadly Portuguese man o’ war, they are in fact completely harmless.

According to the press, strong easterly winds over the past couple of weeks have led to a raft of the sea crea‐ tures being dragged to the Spanish coast from east to west, resulting in higher than usual numbers not just in Alicante, but on the beaches of Mallorca and the Costa del Sol also.

The jellyfish, known as By‐the‐wind‐sailors, have sails on their backs that allow them to catch the wind and travel on ocean currents, but they are at the mercy of the wind with hundreds, and sometimes thousands, fre‐ quently washed up on Mediterranean beaches after stormy weather.

avirus checks at the border.

Explaining the situation to the committee of MPs, Mr Garton told how the shortage of staff for processing passengers at the border had always been a prob‐ lem, but that now, the pandem‐ ic “has just made that so much worse than it was before.”

He continued, “We want to see that bottleneck removed as quickly as possible. It’s a prob‐ lem today, it will become a much bigger problem after May 17, when foreign leisure travel from England could resume,” saying that he believes the solu‐ tion could be that every passen‐ ger’s entry to the UK is “as‐ sured” before they begin their journey.

Passenger locator forms should be checked for errors and corrected in advance, and the documents should be checked by eGates automatical‐ ly, he told the MPs, which would allow arriving travellers to “flow as you would normally through the eGates, rather than having to line up and present your paperwork to a rather overstretched border official.”

NEWS

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Exit hits food exports SPANISH imports from Britain have been hit in the first two months since their exit from the European Union as new EU rules disrupt trade across the channel.

In the first two months of this year, Spain’s imports from the UK have dropped by 49 per cent

when compared with the same period last year. In contrast to this, trade data shows imports between EU countries and Spain only dropped by 7 per cent, according to the Spanish industry minister.

A breakdown of the type of

goods by country was not provided by the ministry, however, they pointed out that sectors with the largest weight in exports were capital goods, food, beverages and tobacco, with each accounting for around 20 per cent of the total.

Human And Monkey hybrid SOUNDING like something from a sciencefiction story, Spanish scientist, Juan Carlos Izpisúa Belmonte, the director of the Gene Expression Laboratory of the Salk Institute of California, in La Jolla, and his team of scientists from various countries, has just successfully carried out in laboratories in China, the cultivation of 132 ‘chimera embryos’ with a mixture of monkey and human cells.

Within six days of development, each of the monkey embryos in the blastocyst phase was injected with 25 human cells, specifically, reprogrammed pluripotent stem cells - capable of copying all types of cells in the body with a fluorescent protein.

One day later human cells were detected in 132 embryos, as the cells had survived and integrated into the embryo, and 10 days later, 103 of them were still developing, al-

though, survival soon began to decline, and 19 days later only three chimeras were still alive.

Izpisúa stressed, “Our goal is not to generate any new organism, any monster. And we are not doing anything like that. We are trying to understand how cells from different organisms communicate with one another.”

Adding, “This knowledge will allow us to go back now and try to re-engineer these pathways that are successful for allowing appropriate development of human cells in these other animals. We are very, very excited.”

Professor Julian Savulescu, a director of the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and co-director of the Wellcome Centre for Ethics and Humanities, University of Oxford, told Irish News that the research “opens Pandora’s box to human-nonhuman chimeras.”

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EUROPEAN PRESS

EUROPEAN NIBS DENMARK

FRANCE

Vaccine ditched

Notre Dame

DESPITE the fact that the World Health Organisation has declared that the risk of death from use of the AstraZeneca vaccine due to blood clots was minute, the Danish Government has decided to stop using that vaccine completely but will continue with the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.

WHEN Notre Dame Cathedral was devastated by fire two years ago, French President Macron promised that it would be open for worship again by 2024, but despite a spend so far of €165 million to reinforce the structure, no actual restoration has even been started.

NETHERLANDS Rain Forests

NORWAY First murder

ACCORDING to a new report released by the World Wide Fund for Nature the use of soy in feed for the Dutch livestock industry means that the Netherlands is the largest European contributor to destruction of tropical forest cleared for soy production.

WHILST many countries report murders on an almost daily basis, Norwegian Police have just confirmed that Norway’s first murder of the year took place on April 13 and already a 30-year-old man has been arrested for shooting another man in a quiet Oslo suburb.

BELGIUM

FINLAND

Brazen beaver

Gender law

AS she wandered into her garden, a woman in a suburb of Leuven was amazed to see a beaver happily using her swimming pool. It took three volunteers from the local animal protection service to catch the beaver and return it to the wild.

A NEW report in Helsingin Sanomat reveals that the Ministry of Social Affairs is considering giving the right to employees to be able to access information regarding salaries paid to their co-workers if they suspect that they are being discriminated against due to gender.

GERMANY

SWEDEN

Lufthansa plan

Hot line

ANXIOUS to ensure that all of its 63,000 staff in Germany are inoculated against Covid-19, Lufthansa has announced that it plans to set up vaccination centres in Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich to arrange staff vaccinations but now awaits allocation of vaccine.

THE Swedish Navy is setting up a hot line for residents who live near its 48,000-kilometre coastline to call in if they spot any unusual activity at sea. In 1981, coastguards were contacted by a boat owner and found a Russian submarine which had run aground.

NEWS

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Spain Extends Quarantine WITH the ending of the State of Alarm next month and renewed hopes that Spain might be ready to welcome back tourists in the near future, the government is taking no chances with countries it believes to be high-risk, particularly from the more

contagious Covid variant.

To this end, Spain has decided to extend its quarantine requirements for travellers returning from 12 countries for the third time.

The order, which was published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) by the Min-

Barcelona Virtual Concert IN a first for the musical world in Spain, Barcelona has held a concert that featured live, in‐house perfor‐ mances as well as musicians from around the globe taking part virtually, through the use of an artificial in‐ telligence tool called Cantāmos.

The groundbreaking event was held in Barcelona’s Santa Maria del Pi church and organised by vocal group Cantoría, the European project TROMPA, Pompeu Fab‐ ra University and the Catalan College of Music.

Catalan College of Music students performed live at the venue, while musicians from around the globe per‐ formed two songs in unison through the Cantāmos on‐ line learning tool, which allows people to practise and record the song, which is then put together by the arti‐ ficial intelligence system so that all those taking part are heard as one seamless choir.

istry of Health, will be in force until May 3, and imposes a mandatory 10-day quarantine on people coming to Spain from Brazil, Peru and Columbia, as well as from nine countries in Africa.

Far from being a bad sign, the Ministry insists the measures are necessary to reduce the spread of infections and overcome this latest wave of coronavirus so that international travel can open up again as soon as possible.

Travellers from the affected countries will be required to self-isolate for 10 days following their arrival, or for the duration of their time in Spain if the trip is shorter than the quarantine period, and can only leave home for essential reasons, such as to buy food or seek medical attention. According to the BOE, quarantine in these cases “can only be suspended on the seventh day if the person undergoes a diagnostic test for active infection with a negative result.”

Compulsory Sterilisation Of Pets IN a highly controversial move, the Junta de Andalucía has drawn up a preliminary draft of its new animal welfare law which would require pet owners to sterilise all companion animals. The legislation has been welcomed by animal welfare societies and shelters, who want to see the “establishment of guarantees for the sterilisation of animals and their purchase, breeding and responsible sale to avoid overpopulation, abandonment and, ultimately, their sacrifice.”

This same animal protection law actually came into force in La Rioja in 2018. In 2020, the Constitutional Court made some amendments but left in the section covering the mandatory sterilisation of private pets, something which the government maintains is still “constitutionally legitimate,” and therefore will mostly be adopted by other autonomous communities before too long.

The new draft proposal states that “companion animals that are the object of sale, transfer or donation

must be previously sterilised before reaching one year of age and, preferably, before their first heat.”

The legislation proposes stricter registering methods for breeders and explicitly prohibits the “reproduction, breeding and sale of compan-

ion animals by private persons outside the breeding and sale centres that meet the legal requirements, as well as their transfer or donation without being previously identified and registered in the name of the transmitting person.”

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FINANCE BUSINESS EXTRA Matchbox cars NOW owned by Mattel, Matchbox cars are still being produced but are moving into environmentally friendly territory with the launch of a new all electric vehicle collection which starts with a Tesla model alongside an electric charging station and they will contain some recycled material.

Taking off AFTER founding Clickair which became part of Vueling, Bilbaoborn Alex Cruz was recruited by IAG eight years ago and most recently was the non-executive president of British Airways.

The 55-year-old has now parted company with IAG and it is rumoured is looking to become SAS CEO.

Kerb to kitchen FOOD delivery company Ocado has announced it will support driverless vehicle software startup Oxbotica by investing £10 million (€11 million) to help create self-driving vehicles as well as what are referred to as ‘kerbto-kitchen’ robots which if successful will help to greatly reduce the cost of delivery.

Greater liquidity SANITAS, the Spanish subsidiary of BUPA has decided that with an end of year surplus of €259 million, it will transfer €218 million to reserves in order to ensure that it has additional liquidity to cope with any significant call upon insurance funds due to Covid19.

One Stop Shop THE Gibraltar Ministry for Business has announced that the Business Liaison Team’s One Stop shop has reopened for faceto-face meetings from April 19.

It exists to provide support and guidance to individuals on the business start-up process for those wishing to set up on the Rock. With internal Covid-19 restrictions relaxed, these meetings will allow new start-ups to collect all paperwork from one source rather than have to visit different government departments. Those interested in booking an appointment may call + 350 200 59801.

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STAT OF WEEK

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€315 million

was the 2020 turnover of Spanish/Portuguese law firm Cuatracasas which was just 0.3 per cent down on 2019 figures.

Línea Directa goes public THE National Securities Market Commission (CN‐ MV) has approved the list‐ ing of shares in Línea Direc‐ ta Aseguradora on the Spanish Stock Markets on April 29.

Currently owned by Bankinter, which will retain a minority shareholding in the company, Línea Directa is the fifth largest insurer in Spain and currently has more than 3.2 million clients and an annual

turnover of close to €900 million in premiums.

Originally set up as a mo‐ tor insurer, it now has the largest market share in the country, but after adding home and health insurance to its offerings, it also en‐ joys a growing share of those markets.

Arguably, Línea Directa is the company that leads the digital transformation of the insurance sector with its commitment to ad‐

LEGALLY SPEAKING

vanced technology and says that more than 60 per cent of its new policyholders ar‐ rived via digital channels and that around 80 per cent of clients use the inter‐ net to review policies.

Initially to be launched at €1.3175 per share, the company is valued at €1.434 billion, but it is an‐ ticipated prices may fluctu‐ ate quickly as Bankinter is giving shares to current bank shareholders by way

of bonus dividend and it may well be that they will wish to sell some or all of their holding.

“Listing Línea Directa is a natural step given the ma‐ turity and profitability achieved by the company.

This milestone is a source of pride for us and we are very excited to soon become the third largest Spanish insurer listed on the Stock Ex‐ change,” commented CEO Miguel Angel Merino.

The cost of dying in Spain

Is it IBI or Community?

I pay Community fees for two plots in my Community.

Both have the same square metres but one has my house on it. The other is vacant. I pay €204.75 each plot for the first semester plus €204.75 for the second semester each year. Total is €409.50.

Last year I had €258.37 deducted from my bank for each plot, totalling €517.74. That’s an in‐ crease of €107.26.

I have questioned the difference, but the Presi‐ dent replied that it’s an administration query and she passed my e‐mail to the administrator who never replies.

A J (Costa Blanca) Has your communi‐ ty voted at the YOU AND THE LAW AGM to raise the IN SPAIN fees? I suspect that the sums taken from your bank are not community fees at all, but municipal property tax charges. This is the IBI, the Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles. This is equivalent to the ‘rates’ in English. This tax is charged on the sur‐ face area of the land, no matter what is standing on the land. It seems that yours have been raised. Check with your bank. If your president and administrator would not inform you of this, they are not serving you well.

DAVID SEARL

Send your questions for David Searl through lawyers Ubeda-Retana and Associates in Fuengirola at Ask@lawtaxspain.com, or call 952 667 090.

MARKS & SPENCER has launched an intellectual property claim in the UK against supermarket giant Aldi, citing alleged similari‐ ties between its Colin the Caterpillar cake with Aldi’s Cuthbert the Caterpillar.

M&S, which lodged the claim with the High Court, is arguing that the similarity of

Arrangements have to be different.

WHEN a loved one dies in Spain, there are costs and procedures which need to be covered, which is why having a pre‐paid funeral plan elimi‐ nates the stress and worry at such a difficult time.

Prices will depend a lot on the location, but incineration costs a lot less than burial.

If you want your remains returned to your country of origin, this will mean an extra cost, whereas if you are buried in Spain, the norm is to ‘rent’ a niche for 10 years at a price of between €150 and €600 per year. At the

end of this time, there is also a fee to remove the remains.

Other costs generally tak‐ en into account in Spain in‐ clude: the coffin, which varies a lot in price depend‐ ing on the style; the funeral parlour, which depends on the number of hours the re‐ mains stay there; transfer to the cemetery; headstone, which depends on the de‐ sign; flowers, guest book and memorial favours; obituar‐ ies, and finally the adminis‐ trative procedures such as registering the death, getting a death certificate, etc

www.goldenleavesinternational.com enquiries@goldenleaves.com Facebook: goldenleavesspain

Caterpillar Wars!

Aldi’s product leads con‐ sumers to believe they are of the same standard and “ride on the coat‐tails” of M&S’s reputation with the product.

An M&S spokesperson

said: “Because we know the M&S brand is special to our customers and they expect only the very best from us, love and care goes into every M&S product on our shelves,

so we want to protect Colin, Connie and our reputation for freshness, quality, inno‐ vation and value.”

It is understood that M&S has three different trade‐

Trade agreement close TWO important European Parliament committees have overwhelmingly approved the UK’s post‐Brexit trade deal with the EU according to the BBC. Although there are still some concerns about the sit‐ uation in Northern Ireland, it is recognised that the De‐ cember provisional Co‐oper‐ ation Agreement is far bet‐ ter for both sides than the implementation of World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.

The final ratification of the deal (which will still make it more onerous for Europe and the UK to trade than be‐ fore Brexit) is due to be placed before the European Parliament before the end of April.

Going naked worked NAKED WINES (formerly associ‐ ated with Majestic Wines) has confirmed that the pandemic has given the company a real fi‐ nancial boost with profits up by more than two thirds.

According to CEO Nick Devlin, its decision to return to its roots and supply only online turned out to be the right one as it now has 885,000 regular customers, an increase of nearly 50 per cent over the previous year.

Whilst results for 2021 are difficult to forecast, he believes that growth, particularly in the USA will continue.

marks against Colin the Caterpillar. It believes Colin has a distinctive character and reputation that will en‐ sure the courts will rule in their favour.

With numerous Aldi stores in Spain and very few M&S outlets, caterpillar cake con‐ noisseurs may wish to check locally.

30 EWN

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COMPANY PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) 3I Group 1.265,50 1.266,00 Admiral Group 3.212,0 3.237,0 Anglo American 3.204,0 3.218,4 Antofagasta 1.887,60 1.902,50 Ashtead Group 4.665,0 4.680,0 Associated British Foods 2.414,9 2.430,3 AstraZeneca 7.393,0 7.419,5 Auto Trader Group Plc 578,40 580,26 Avast 470,30 470,60 Aveva 3.844,0 3.852,0 Aviva 408,69 410,70 B&M European Value Retail SA565,80 566,00 BAE Systems 519,20 524,90 Bank VTB DRC 1,182 1,206 Barclays 188,61 189,32 Barratt Developments 790,77 793,00 Berkeley 4.621,4 4.634,8 BHP Group 2.225,50 2.240,00 BP 302,00 302,53 British American Tobacco 2.894,4 2.900,5 British Land Company 514,56 519,26 BT Group 154,92 154,90 Bunzl 2.507,5 2.512,0 Burberry Group 2.078,0 2.083,0 Carnival 1.660,9 1.665,3 Centrica 56,84 56,92 Coca Cola HBC AG 2.521,0 2.522,0 Compass 1.589,50 1.601,74 CRH 3.504,0 3.516,0 Croda Intl 6.785,2 6.808,0 DCC 6.452,0 6.484,0 Diageo 3.232,4 3.245,5 DS Smith 423,50 425,60 EasyJet 990,17 1.001,50 Experian 2.752,0 2.755,0 Ferguson 9.378,0 9.420,0 Flutter Entertainment 15.560,0 15.650,0 Fresnillo 930,76 933,12 GlaxoSmithKline 1.348,40 1.353,00 Glencore 302,80 304,55 Halma 2.568,0 2.580,0 Hargreaves Lansdown 1.678,50 1.678,50 Hikma Pharma 2.388,00 2.390,00 HSBC 427,42 427,95 IAG 207,09 209,65 Imperial Brands 1.591,90 1.592,48 Informa 595,80 598,00 InterContinental 5.214,0 5.228,0 Intermediate Capital 2.005,00 2.023,00 Intertek 6.144,0 6.149,9 ITV 122,25 123,50

% CHG. 1.256,00 3.202,0 3.200,5 1.880,86 4.648,0 2.411,0 7.330,6 576,00 464,50 3.811,0 407,75 559,40 519,20 1,182 187,41 783,60 4.613,6 2.222,00 299,70 2.884,1 514,20 153,20 2.503,8 2.047,0 1.651,8 56,43 2.492,0 1.589,50 3.496,0 6.749,7 6.428,0 3.225,4 420,00 982,57 2.712,0 9.322,0 15.520,0 923,04 1.338,00 302,15 2.562,0 1.661,49 2.367,52 426,33 205,71 1.576,50 593,20 5.184,0 2.001,00 6.100,0 122,00

NET VOL 63,83K 29,11K 6,74K 6,30K 23,62K 8,11K 23,38K 15,51K 202,44K 6,84K 78,39K 44,40K 70,00K 32,83K 1,75M 92,43K 0,49K 168,21K 451,92K 27,57K 9,44K 1,24M 2,28K 19,93K 10,53K 133,77K 10,66K 3,40K 29,24K 1,52K 4,16K 13,42K 157,25K 104,15K 93,99K 16,76K 8,14K 28,88K 536,38K 1,47M 16,80K 44,84K 3,70K 51,31K 742,18K 24,46K 61,11K 9,58K 12,70K 1,15K 306,31K

COMPANY

PRICE(P)

J Sainsbury Johnson Matthey Land Securities Legal & General Lloyds Banking London Stock Exchange Meggitt Melrose Industries Mondi National Grid NatWest Group Next Norilskiy Nikel ADR Ocado Persimmon Phoenix Prudential Reckitt Benckiser Relx Rentokil Rightmove Rio Tinto PLC Rolls-Royce Holdings Rosneft DRC Royal Dutch Shell A Royal Dutch Shell A Royal Dutch Shell B RSA Insurance Sage Samsung Electronics DRC Sberbank Schroders Scottish Mortgage Segro Severn Trent Smith & Nephew Smiths Group Spirax-Sarco Engineering SSE St. James’s Place Standard Chartered Standard Life Aberdeen Taylor Wimpey Tesco Tui Unilever United Utilities Vodafone Group PLC Whitbread WPP

251,60 3.204,0 720,00 277,94 43,62 7.739,7 476,30 178,30 1.981,00 904,80 199,10 8.252,0 33,36 2.206,41 3.206,3 757,20 1.549,00 6.685,0 1.935,00 526,00 611,25 6.071,0 105,18 7,17 1.402,51 1.403,0 1.342,1 683,00 648,00 1.865,00 15,03 3.630,0 1.244,98 987,80 2.443,4 1.438,50 1.643,50 12.210,0 1.509,29 1.342,50 493,10 288,40 192,50 233,08 394,05 4.157,0 964,60 135,10 3.524,0 976,40

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

NET VOL

252,50 3.231,0 724,94 280,09 43,70 7.816,0 485,00 183,64 1.993,00 909,50 199,80 8.294,0 33,69 2.207,94 3.223,0 763,20 1.552,25 6.710,0 1.941,00 526,20 613,86 6.099,0 106,96 7,22 1.407,31 1.408,4 1.346,8 683,80 649,20 1.875,00 15,09 3.636,0 1.252,00 993,40 2.450,2 1.453,00 1.650,50 12.245,0 1.513,50 1.343,00 493,60 291,05 192,70 233,33 396,94 4.176,5 967,39 135,88 3.549,0 982,80

247,10 3.191,0 719,40 277,70 43,27 7.698,0 475,30 177,73 1.969,50 901,80 198,45 8.052,0 33,27 2.181,81 3.196,8 756,40 1.545,50 6.648,0 1.934,13 521,00 610,03 6.059,0 104,83 7,15 1.395,01 1.394,6 1.333,9 682,80 642,60 1.865,00 15,02 3.610,0 1.240,19 984,40 2.442,0 1.438,50 1.636,50 12.090,0 1.495,00 1.338,73 491,00 288,40 190,70 231,00 392,67 4.135,0 959,20 134,63 3.505,0 973,20

882,29K 14,05K 5,41K 254,89K 8,89M 49,25K 28,10K 100,44K 37,38K 210,38K 314,02K 36,94K 49,21K 8,35K 4,60K 43,67K 28,30K 33,67K 15,81K 69,91K 14,74K 109,34K 5,38M 186,92K 24,30K 407,66K 65,40K 58,76K 84,13K 1,42K 4,81K 4,02K 317,09K 56,48K 1,73K 149,10K 15,21K 4,41K 11,37K 3,26K 94,95K 53,81K 427,03K 533,68K 260,43K 129,34K 12,55K 331,36K 3,37K 190,27K

1.15695

0.86485

Units per €

US dollar (USD) ......................................1.19069 Japan yen (JPY)......................................129.956 Switzerland franc (CHF) ...........................1.1021 Denmark kroner (DKK) .............................7.4363 Norway kroner (NOK) ...............................10.007

currenciesdirect.com/moraira • Tel: +34 966 265 072 THE ABOVE TABLE USES THE CURRENT INTERBANK EXCHANGE RATES, WHICH AREN’T REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RATE WE OFFER

DOW JONES C LOSING P RICES A PRIL 19

COMPANY 3M Alphabet C Amazon.com Amgen Apple Boeing Caterpillar Chevron Cisco Coca-Cola Facebook Goldman Sachs Home Depot Honeywell IBM Intel J&J JPMorgan McDonald’s Merck&Co Microsoft Nike Procter&Gamble Salesforce.com Tesla UnitedHealth Verizon Visa A Walmart Walt Disney

PRICE 198,58 2.297,76 3.399,44 255,71 134,16 248,18 233,36 102,96 52,80 53,68 306,18 342,31 328,08 232,11 133,59 64,75 162,24 153,30 233,08 77,47 260,74 134,31 137,25 231,91 739,78 391,01 58,28 226,41 140,61 187,26

CHANGE 199,67 2.306,44 3.406,80 258,82 134,67 253,05 235,94 104,36 53,18 53,80 308,95 343,74 328,67 232,35 134,10 65,52 162,51 154,51 234,26 77,75 261,00 134,77 137,90 234,00 749,41 393,92 58,48 227,80 140,96 189,47

CHANGE% VOLUME(M) 197,98 2,77M 2.284,45 1,13M 3.355,59 3,19M 254,67 2,77M 133,28 84,92M 246,23 14,61M 232,27 2,13M 102,43 7,46M 52,26 28,33M 53,38 17,97M 304,61 13,06M 338,62 4,23M 323,94 6,21M 230,05 4,10M 132,95 5,29M 64,57 24,63M 160,56 9,05M 152,69 13,77M 232,31 2,69M 76,82 11,94M 257,60 24,88M 133,73 6,85M 136,88 7,71M 229,89 5,09M 724,60 27,98M 385,46 4,53M 57,80 19,87M 225,76 6,83M 139,71 8,83M 186,20 9,45M M - MILLION DOLLARS

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES A PRIL 19

COMPANY

CHANGE NET / %

VOLUME

+1.80% +12.50% +0.60% +5.96% +73.89% +1.95% +3.34% +6.84% +7.69% +1.63% +1.32%

783,479 4.51M 3.19M 22.65M 5.69M 3,047 83,837 19.04M 4.62M 995,161 1.04M

-6.29% -2.20% -9.52% -3.12% -0.76% -30.40% -1.49% -36.85% -1.39% -0.92% -14.56%

762,793 499,563 6.86M 2.67M 4,636 9.10M 383,441 247,336 8.38M 148,549 1.48M

Most Advanced Booking Holdings Inc. Novavax Inc. Amazon.com Inc. Coinbase Global Inc. Recursion Pharmaceuticals Inc. Atrion Corp.

Credit Acceptance Corp.

Moderna Inc. BioNTech SE ADR O'Reilly Automotive Inc. Charter Communications Inc. Cl A

Most Declined MicroStrategy Inc. Trade Desk Inc. Cl A Splunk Inc. Roku Inc. Cl A Broadcom Inc. 8% Pfd. Series A Esports Technologies Inc. Equinix Inc. Sequential Brands Group Inc. NVIDIA Corp.

CoStar Group Inc. Veracyte Inc.

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

www.euroweeklynews.com

Credit: Ibercaja Press Centre

Ibercaja Bank reveals future plans

GOING ALONE: José Luis Aguirre and Víctor Iglesias announced the plans.

WITH the merging of Spanish banks being recommended by the Bank of Spain, Zaragoza based Ibercaja Banco has just confirmed that it intends to continue alone.

It started as a savings bank 145 years ago and expanded in 2011 by taking over other savings banks which allowed it to grow significantly.

The President José Luis Aguirre and CEO Víctor Igle‐ sias have now revealed their strategy to take the bank for‐ ward by publishing their 2021‐2023 ‘Challenge Plan’.

In this, they are looking to continue to offer a wide range of customer services which includes, banking, mortgages, insurance, pen‐ sions and much more with the aim of adding an addition‐ al 50 per cent of customers in personal, business and pri‐ vate banking.

Another target sees a de‐ termination to exceed a 7 per cent return on investment with a new focus on the de‐ velopment of technological knowledge to help increase customer satisfaction and to reduce costs.

There is also a plan to strengthen the bank’s finan‐ cial position to ensure that it is able to cope with any new and unexpected problems which may arise as Spain emerges from the pandemic and it has over the past three years reduced the burden of non‐performing assets by al‐ most €5 billion.

A statement from the Presi‐ dent makes it clear that he and his board have every con‐ fidence in the future of the Spanish economy for the fu‐ ture.

According to the Expansion website, there are also plans

Product recall SAINSBURY’S supermarket group in the UK has issued a product recall warning with regards to the possibility of Taste the Difference Medjool Dates being contaminated with Hepatitis A. The packs which are being recalled are 200g and 500g, with supplier/site code K0014EW on the date label.

Readers with UK relations, especially Muslims who eat dates during Ramadan are advised to warn them of the problem.

Whilst there have been no reports of any customer falling ill, Hepatitis A is an unpleasant infection and the company could be open to a claim for damages should anyone be infected.

for Ibercaja to be floated on the Madrid Stock Exchange, either in 2021 or 2022 de‐ pending upon the state of the share market.

BUSINESS EXTRA Beer goggles THE Revolut beer-ometer™ showed that English pub spending was up by 200 per cent when pubs reopened compared to a normal Monday. It said that £2,086 (€2,295) was being spent every minute with the biggest boozers being men aged 25 to 34, quaffing an average 4.8 pints.

O2 merger NOW that the UK Competition and Markets Authority has given a provisional green light for the merger of the O2 and Virgin mobile phone groups, Spanish owner of O2, Telefónica can look forward to reducing its debt burden by nearly €5 billion.

Renewable power WITH renewable power the next big money spinner in Spain, the Canadian group Northland Power has entered into a €1 billion deal to take over a number of projects in Spain from Helia, a fund controlled by Plenium Partners Asset Management and Bankinter.

22 - 28 April 2021

EWN 31

32 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

22 - 28 April 2021

FEATURE

True problem lies in the home

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT I’M utterly sick and fed up with the media and woke brigade endeavouring to make us feel sorry for thugs and criminals. George Floyd was a habitual criminal, out and about breaking the law. Had he been a law abiding citizen, legally going about his business, the police would have had no reason to arrest him and he would be alive today.

The case of a 13‐year‐old, shot dead by police at the weekend was undoubtedly a tragic event, but he was out at night, with his friend, both carrying loaded guns! What do you think they were up to, charity work?

In that particular circumstance I actually feel sorry for the police officer, who I understand was in tears after the event. Apparently a second before he was shot, the police video showed the boy was actually holding a gun. He then raised his arm to discard it. The officer had a split second to decide whether or not the boy was about to shoot him, what was he supposed to do, let the boy take the first shot!?

He was simply protecting himself.

NO CONTROL: Why are they carrying guns to begin with?

Naturally the popular media are not showing the young man actually with the gun in his hand, merely the split second after he had discarded it. After all, the more hatred and trouble they can whip up the more newsworthy content they can glean for their sensationalist hungry viewers.

And why is there always such a

kerfuffle when many black drivers are ordered to put their hands on the wheel or the dash where they can be seen?

The majority of these drivers’ immediate reaction seems to be frantic jerking around, shouting protests, waving their arms and generally escalating the whole event

which then often culminates in screaming police dragging them from the car. If they would simply comply immediately there would be no need for all the violence and possible tragedy that often ensues.

I know if I was shouted at by an armed officer to put my hands on the wheel, they would be glued to the

steering wheel in a heartbeat.

Returning briefly to that shot teenager, no doubt his tearful Mother will soon be telling all who are prepared to listen what a ‘wonderful son’ and ‘good boy’ he had always been! If anyone is to blame here it is (as usual) the parents or, more often than not, the ‘absent father family,’ who have so little control or care for their offsprings that they are actually allowed to run amok at night carrying guns and knives. That is where the true problem lies; in the home.

Far too many ‘ladies’ from these so called ‘deprived’ areas appear to be so free and easy with their favours, they often end up with a whole brood of children from multiple fathers ‐ all absent and totally untraceable. No wonder their children are out of control. It’s time these people got their own houses in order before blaming society and the police for the wrongdoings of their errant offsprings.

Keep the faith Love Leapy Leapylee2002@gmail.com expatradioscotland Mon. Wed. Fri.

Leapy Lee’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

FEATURE

www.euroweeklynews.com

22 - 28 April 2021

EWN 33

Advertising Feature

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“Living in one of our beautiful apartments is more than a lifestyle choice, it also offers peace of mind. It’s a big decision to make and many people may not feel they are ready, but it’s so important to plan our future today,” said Apartamentos Sales Coordinator, Amanda Hobbs.

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Senior Resort Ciudad Patricia: Calle Rumanía 26, 03503 Benidorm (Alicante) Amanda Hobbs (+34) 673 064 288 Email: ahobbs@ciudadpatricia.com • www.ciudadpatricia.com

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FEATURE

www.euroweeklynews.com

How can you confuse a gun?

MIKE SENKER IN MY OPINION Views of a Grumpy Old Man A POLICE officer who shot and killed a driver during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, on Sunday afternoon, meant to deploy her Taser instead of her gun, police said.

In a press conference on Monday, Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon said he believes the female officer intended to deploy her Taser when she ‘accidentally’ shot 20year-old Daunte Wright.

How do you accidently confuse your gun with a Taser? To me an accident is knocking over your drink or maybe driving into the back of someone’s car, but shooting someone when you are a trained police officer isn’t an accident especially when your gun and Taser are on different sides of your belt.

My point here is that the USA is an absolute mess where guns and killing people are concerned apart from gawd knows how many mass shooting there are. Their police forces are particularly gun happy.

We live in a country where all police are armed, but I can’t think of one instance here where a police officer has pulled someone over for a traffic violation and finished up

shooting them dead. Never heard of any mass shootings either.

The reason might be that the average punter here can’t buy a gun, never mind ones that fires 10 to 20 rounds a second like the AR15. Let’s see if Biden will finally do something about it or will be bought off by the NRA. Shame about Prince Philip dying, totally politically incorrect bloke, but all in all he did a good job and was a great partner for the Queen. He was after all 99 years old and had a pretty good innings. But I do think the coverage of his death went overboard especially the BBC. The total blanket coverage of BBC1 and BBC2 was well over the top and other stations too with looped broadcasting hour after hour. Then all the Royal correspondents were wheeled out giving their views.

They even invited members of the public to email in if they had met him. So basically anybody could have said they had met him without any confirmation just to get a shout out on the telly! I think it backfired as people turned off in their millions after a couple of hours and, in fact, Gogglebox, a TV programme about people watching TV programmes got higher ratings. But their biggest mistake, as far as Mrs S was concerned, was postponing the final of MasterChef!

Email: mikesenker@gmail.com

Mike’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

22 - 28 April 2021

EWN 35

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FEATURE

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GO LOCAL

THE EUROWEEKLY NEWS is urg‐ ing its readers to support local businesses in the community by going local through the lock‐ down and for your all your shopping this year, instead of feeding online giants and super‐ stores.

During this lockdown, we chal‐ lenge you to rediscover your lo‐ cal high streets, markets, butch‐ ers, greengrocers and all of the wonderfully quirky independent businesses in your area.

Due to the Covid‐19 pandem‐ ic, you may have to support many local businesses by order‐ ing online and making use of any click and collect services they can operate if you are unable to get out due to health reasons or lockdown restrictions.

The joy of shopping local means that independent busi‐ nesses can help support the local community.

Although it may be a euro or two cheaper elsewhere or on‐ line, consider where your money is actually going.

By shopping at an indepen‐ dent store you’re putting food on a local family’s table, and there is no better time than now to give back to your community by making a small gesture and shopping in this way.

Many local stores support lo‐ cal charities, support and spon‐ sor local sports teams and in many cases the small indepen‐ dent stores are actually much more than just a small high street shop, they’re a family’s legacy, often passed down through numerous generations and support not just the current owner but the generation be‐ fore.

For those stores which are new, that extra couple of euros spent there are supporting someone’s dream and ambition,

BUY LOCAL: By shopping locally, independent businesses can help support the local community.

and also the courage it took them to step out alone, which is no easy task. It takes quite a large chunk of money to set up an independent store and com‐ pete with the multinational and chains.

So be sure to pre‐order your meat from a local butcher and get your spuds from a local greengrocer, let us revive that community spirit and get to know our neighbours again.

You could also consider pur‐ chasing gift vouchers from local businesses to help them over the coming weeks, thinking outside the box can often lead to some fantastic ideas. Why not buy a meal for two, an hour’s tattoo time at a local studio, a hair cut at a local salon or an online study course for someone looking to change their career path.

As people are struggling with finances thinking about what friends and family may actually need is important too. Whilst it’s nice to give a glamourous gift perhaps pre‐paying a family

member’s phone bill for the month would actually be a bet‐ ter gift. Helping people alleviate stress and worry , give the gift of peace of mind through these dif‐ ficult times.

Choosing to spend your mon‐ ey locally will really make a dif‐ ference in the recovery of the lo‐ cal economy. When we buy local, our money stays local, and it strengthens the local econ‐ omy in two ways. First, buying lo‐ cal keeps money circulating with‐ in the local economy.

Studies have shown that local businesses recirculate a greater share of every euro as they cre‐ ate locally owned supply chains and invest in their employees.

Data shows that local retailers return 52 per cent of their rev‐ enue back into the local econo‐ my, compared to just 14 per cent for national chain retailers.

Money circulating through the local economy benefits everyone who is a part of each transaction.

For example, let’s look at a local farmer growing produce.

First, they sell to a local restau‐ rant, which in turn prepares the fresh produce and sells it to local customers. The farmer pays its local employees and the restau‐ rant uses revenue from sales to buy supplies from a neighbour‐ hood hardware store. This exam‐ ple illustrates how the recircula‐ tion of money in the local economy leads to a stronger fi‐ nancial foundation for our neigh‐ bours and communities.

Buying local also fuels new employment and job opportuni‐ ties for people within our com‐ munity.

Studies show, locally owned businesses employ more people per unit of sales and retain more employees over time.

A fantastic example of how to support your local community is with a Charity Gift certificate, why not donate to your loved one’s favourite cause.

Just remember to follow the latest government advice and any guidance businesses have to keep everyone safe.

EWN 37

EW YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE - YOUR OPINION Letters should be emailed to yoursay@euroweeklynews.com or make your comments on our website: www.euroweeklynews.com Views expressed and opinions given are not necessarily those of the EWN publishers. No responsibility is accepted for accuracy of information, errors, omissions or statements.

CAN YOU HELP ME OUT? From our Facebook Dear Leapy, As a regular reader of the Euro Weekly News I have to congratulate you on most of your comments since you have been writing your column, particularly this recent edition - 8 -14 April. However, as a successful pop artist of yesteryear, I am sure you would have appeared on some of the same gigs as Craig. We first met at a party in Holland Park shortly after his agent had persuaded him to change his name from Perkins, around 1961, I think. His love for sport, outside of showbiz, especially golf, made us life long mates. For quite a long period in the early 70s we both lived in Dolphin Square in Pimlico, quite by chance!!

However, my wife Liz and I have lived since 2005 as residents in the quiet village of Sant Elm (was San Telmo) here in Mallorca. Since then I have only returned to the UK, on three occasions, the last being 2012, when I was invited to appear in the Opening Ceremony of the London Olympic Games. On the first two visits to London, Craig and I met up for a beer, etc but in 2012, I could not find him at this penthouse flat at 709 Hawkins House, DS or on his landline telephone.

Short of time, I failed to find him, but from his Wikepedia details, I found that he had been paralysed from the waist down, having been bitten on the foot by a rare flea type creature, which had left him wheelchair bound for the rest of his life. All very sad, but being Craig, he still managed to appear on occasional gigs performing to his high standards from his wheelchair. SkyNews sponsored a benefit for him on 11 December 2011 at the Amersham Rock and Roll Club, and that is the only news I have of him in the past 10 years.

I have tried to contact him from here over the past 10 years but with no success, whatsoever. I can only imagine that he is living in a home for the disabled, somewhere in the London area. Can you help me in my quest to find him? It is so frustating not having any contact information, not even a telephone number, as a start.

I do hope you can bring me some news. Having been born on the Isle of Wight in 1941, he is a year younger than myself and must be having quite a hard time in these Covid-19 days.

Keep the Faith too.

Mr David H Jones

Not in Spain right now!

Hello! I am writing this email from the UK. I was shocked to read in your press a week ago, that several British passengers who arrived at Alicante Airport, were stopped by Spanish Security Police and outrageously flanked by Armed personnel, to continue travel to their Spanish destinations.

Reading your report, it appears that according to these passengers, they had all their documentation, both legal and medical in order. But when they arrived in the airport there was a sign saying: NO TIE... NO ENTRY!

PCR TEST PRICING GENUINELY believing that we have earned the right to be known as ‘The People’s Paper’ amongst English-speaking residents and visitors to Spain, we try to champion causes that will be of interest and assist our readers both here and in the UK. As will be seen in this edition of the paper as well as Facebook and www.euroweeklynews.com we recognise that many readers in both Spain and the UK are anxious to see family members again and as travel restrictions ease so there will be more chance to travel.

CORRECTIONS

Although I do find the behaviour of the Spanish police reprimandable, having considered the stand-point view of these passengers, I do wonder whether these passengers did in fact have exactly everything covered.

Questions: 1. What exactly did the Spanish police find to be wrong with their documentation?

2. Were these passengers British Nationals going for a holiday?

3- Were these passengers British Nationals BUT already residents of Spain?

NB. This question is massively important, because it does involve the new Brexit procedure, related to two types of Spanish Residencies namely: * A4 Green Residencia Certificate (Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Union) * TIE Card (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranejro) Consequences: Any British National resident of Spain before 30 December 2020, and having with them the original A4 Green Residencia Certificate, and the correct medical test (PCR) and declaration form, they are legally allowed to enter Spain.

The A4 Green Certificate it is still completely legal and accepted by Spanish authorities.

Nevertheless it is advisable to apply for the new TIE Card if one continues to be a resident in Spain in the future.

The TIE Card must be used as from 1 January 2021.

Finally given the many disappointments some passengers are experiencing once landing in Spain. I wonder whether your paper, should also print an alert for all readers, by explaining the importance and facts related to Spanish Residency in 2021.

Dr AR Basile M.Ed (Res), MIH

Faithful Tax Payer I cordially invite the Torrevieja mayor’s parents to stay in my home long enough for them to have a wee word in the ear of their son!

I have been trying to have the state of Calle Mozart improved for nigh on three years now but, despite soothing words from Sr Dolón, nothing has happened. At the north end of Calle Mozart, Calle Purcell’s tarmac stops dead at the point where it runs into Calle Mozart. At the south end Calle Rodrigo’s tarmac stops dead at the point where it runs into Calle Mozart! I have to ask, “What is the mayor’s problem with Calle Mozart?”

Our pot holes are filled in with clinker which shoots off in all directions as traffic drives over it. Pedestrians risk a stone bruising their ankles and cars are at risk of damage as the larger stones fire out in all directions.

Jean Paton

OUR VIEW

However, until such time as vaccine passports are introduced which is unlikely before June at the earliest and with the roll out of the vaccine here in Spain still being relatively slow when compared to the UK, there will still be a need to take PCR tests.

We are campaigning for a reduction in the price in the UK but in Spain, there can be a very significant difference in the price of taking the test and also in the time it takes to receive the results.

There are reports of test costs

being well over €100 although on the Costa del Sol, one reputable clinic is charging just €40 with quick turnaround and the average is no more than €70, so it does pay to shop around.

What we all want to see is a return to the safe movement of people throughout Europe and the rest of the world, but with so many of our readers having family in the UK, it is imperative for them that they can once again have the chance to catch up with their loved ones without having to pay an arm and a leg.

Steve Price So many strong answers here, I live in the UK. Now when I get ANY government mail, even car tax, voting, hospital, the list goes on it’s in about 10 different languages. You can get it in Braille. We do tend to go over and above to keep immigrants and illegals, boat people, must have forgotten someone but do include yourself. Yes you should try, perhaps it might work here.

Anne Brogan Most certainly may never be fluent, however it’s just good manners.

Kathryn Eden We enrolled at the Casa de Cultura for beginners lessons in Spanish as soon as we arrived. It was a class of mixed nationalities, the teacher spoke only Spanish throughout the course. All of us finished the course and felt competent to use our Spanish for everyday life. Using it gradually builds up confidence and increases the vocabulary. Everyone should learn the language of the country they choose to live in.

Junemunro Burraage Couldn’t imagine living in any country without having a grasp of the Lingo. Unfortunately many Brits in many foreign lands rely on the natives speaking English.

John Grieve That little word seems to send some expats into a foaming frenzy.

Rishenda Tofts I think you should at least try to learn to speak Spanish. Not saying it’s easy but at least give it your best shot. Spanish people on the whole are very forgiving and will help you as much as they can.

At the EWN, we pride ourselves that reports are accurate and fair. If we do slip up, we promise to set the record straight in a clear, no-nonsense manner. To ask for an inaccuracy to be corrected. Email: editorial@euroweeklynews.com

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22 - 28 April 2021

FEATURE

TAX COP-OUTS WORTHY OF AN OSCAR? NORA JOHNSON BREAKING VIEWS Nora is the author of popular psychological suspense and crime thrillers and a freelance journalist.

To comment on any of the issues raised in her column, go to www.euroweeklynews.com/3.0.15/nora-johnson

HAVE you been targeted by one of those ‘phishing’ scams doing the rounds recent‐ ly? You know, those scam emails pretend‐ ing to offer customers a tax rebate? Or worse still, you missed the January 31 deadline for online UK tax returns? If so, you’d better come up with a better excuse than those given by HM Revenue and Cus‐ toms as the worst examples people have come up with for filing / paying their tax return late.

These range from the usual “my pet dog ate my tax return … AND all the reminders”; “I was up a mountain in Wales, and couldn’t find a post box or get an internet signal” and “I was in Australia” to the “poor me” variety (“I fell in with the wrong crowd”; “I live in a camper van in a supermarket car park”; “a work colleague borrowed my tax return, to photocopy it, and didn’t give it back”; “my girlfriend’s pregnant”) to the truly bizarre

WORST EXCUSES: “My pet dog ate my tax return... AND all the reminders.” (“I’ve been busy looking after a flock of es‐ caped parrots and some fox cubs”; “I’ve been travelling the world, trying to escape from a foreign intelligence agency”).

Unsurprisingly, none of these led to a successful appeal ‐ or worthy of an award at Monday’s Oscars. To return, briefly, to ‘phishing’, maybe the best advice nowadays

is, sadly: ‘Trust nobody’.

The world in which we now live. Fake tradesmen in hi‐vis jackets knocking at your door to check some phoney gas‐leak/pipe‐ work ‘problem’ and walking out with your wallet. The elderly being palmed off with third‐rate stuff at outrageous prices. Or a worthless plot of land as an ‘investment’.

This happens, we all know it happens.

The answer may partly lie with the media: more publicity given about the punishment dished out to offenders to scare off those hell‐bent on committing such crimes. And more, much more success in catching the offenders...

What’s really disturbing is that the police often know who the offenders are, but can’t get enough people to testify against them. Perhaps we’re all to blame here.

What’s your view?

Nora Johnson’s psychological crime thrillers ‘The Sentinel’, ‘No Safe Place’, ‘Betrayal’, ‘The Girl in the Woods’, ‘The Girl in the Red Dress’, ‘No Way Back’, ‘Landscape of Lies’, ‘Retribu‐ tion’, ‘Soul Stealer’, ‘The De Clerambault Code’ (www.nora‐johnson.net) available on‐ line as eBook (€0.99; £0.99), Apple Books, pa‐ perback and audiobook. All profits to Costa del Sol Cudeca cancer charity.

Nora Johnson’s opinions are her own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

www.euroweeklynews.com

22 - 28 April 2021

To My Shadow Bipolar MS BIPOLAR UP AND DOWN WITH BALANCE UNEDITED

I had to be really careful so I wouldn’t wake or upset you. Maintaining that mask was stressful; but for a while, everything seemed to be under control.

That was until a traumatic, life-changing experience triggered you to explode.

It was utterly devastating. You wreaked havoc in every area of my life. No matter how hard I tried, it was impossible to keep you out.

IT’S been 10 years since being diagnosed with you. Ten years of struggling to tame the violent chaos you’ve hurled into my mind. I wasn’t aware you had already started building camp at a young age. I thought you were nothing but a phase all teenagers go through. So I ignored you, thinking you’d eventually go away if I pretended you didn’t exist, I didn’t know any different.

But just like a shadow, you followed me everywhere I went. I tried to be oblivious to the selfdestructive thoughts you constantly whispered into my ear.

For a long time, I survived this constant battle with you. Little by little, I was successful keeping you quiet - the monster living inside msbipolar@euroweeklynews.com of me. It wasn’t easy;

I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t get out of bed and couldn’t stop my mind from racing. I felt alone, worthless and unloved. Some days I just felt nothing , numbness.

Ten years ago you were given many names: clinical depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, borderline personality disorder.

Bipolar 1 disorder. Finally. Your real name. After a long, frustrating journey, I now know who you really are and how I’m going to manage you. It’s definitely not been an easy ride - and it took a lot of time to get the right mix of medications to tame you - but I won’t let you destroy me again.

Thank you for showing me how much my family loves me, and how amazing my friends are. Without their support and understanding, I wouldn’t have been able to survive all the sh*t you put me through.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to help and reach out to people who are like me. You gave me the chance to show compassion, kindness and understanding to people who are also struggling with an invisible war inside their heads.

Finally, thank you for making me realise how strong I am Love Ms Bipolar x

Slap on some cream

Exercise is necessary

AS temperatures begin to soar and layers of clothing begin to be shredded, spare some thought for your skin and remember to cover yourself in sun cream.

Protecting yourself from the sun could be one of the most important things you do for yourself this year as the incidence of skin cancer continues to rise, particularly among young adults.

Even if your skin tans easily, don’t think you don’t need sun protection. Skin turning brown is actually a sign of sun damage, even if there is no redness or peeling. It does this as a way of trying to protect itself because the UV rays are damaging living cells. And don’t shy away from using a high sun protection factor.

Even SPF 50 only blocks up to 98 per cent of UV rad i a tion.

WOMEN who exercise when they are pregnant can reduce the chance of needing a Caesarean by 10 per cent.

Evidence gathered from around 12,500 women in 16 countries found that mothers-to-be who do gentle exercise during their pregnancy such as aerobics, walking or using a bike machine, and eat a healthy diet are more likely to have a natural birth.

Currently, around one in four births in the UK are by Caesarean which, although regarded as very safe, can carry the risk of complications.

Experts said many women wrongly believe they should be ‘eating for two’ when pregnant and 47 per cent of women put on too much weight, raising the risk of a Caesarean. But regular exercise significantly reduces the mother’s weight gain and babies are not at risk from exercise. Although, it is always advised to stop exercising if you feel unwell or become so breathless you cannot talk.

Remember, skin cancer is serious and was the direct cause of over 2,500 deaths in each of Spain and the UK last year. Treatment for skin cancer involves much more than simply having a lesion removed.

It can include major surgery, chemotherapy and can result

in permanent scarring. Skin cancer can also spread to other parts of your body.

The good news is that it is almost totally preventable, so follow the advice of the Aussies and take these five steps to protect yourself: ‘Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide!’

CREAM YOURSELF: Be careful to avoid your eyes.

EWN 45

46 EWN

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22 - 28 April 2021

Shake up your muscles WITH summer drawing ever closer, many people are starting to think about getting lean and muscular to swagger with confidence along the seafront.

Of course, in addition to watching your diet and attending the gym as much as possible, there are other things you can do - or rather take - to help you achieve your goals. And all you need is some protein powder, a shaker bottle and some water.

Protein supplements are an ever-popular option that can improve lean body mass and muscle strength. Fundamentally, they are shakes that consist of whey protein, although milk, soy, casein, egg, hemp, rice, and pea protein powders are also popular.

Taken after a strenuous workout, protein shakes deliver amino acids to muscle cells and help them to recover. In addition to this, they manufacture hormones, enzymes, cellular messengers, nucleic acids and immune-system components, so they can be very beneficial for the body

as a whole. Without adequate protein, our bodies can’t put together the structures that make up every cell, tissue, and organ in our body, nor can it generate the substances needed for cardiovascular function, muscle contraction, growth, and healing.

Absorbing enough protein is important as without an adequate amount our muscles wouldn’t heal up as quickly, which could lead to overtrain-

ing your muscle and causing injury.

Downing a protein shake is an easy way to get your protein if you work a full time job and don’t always have time to prepare meals. However, do bear in mind that protein shakes can only make a small contribution. You will also need to train properly and eat right to get the results you’re after.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

By Clinica Britannia

Are you overweight?

IF you are extremely overweight you will most likely also suffer with high blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels. If left untreated this can lead to more serious illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, strokes, sleep ap‐ noea, depression, cause irreversible damage to your joints and in some cases death.

When dieting regular exercise is good, but it is also particularly important to seek profes‐ sional advice from a Nutritionist who can monitor and support you, giving advice on healthy diet plans and lifestyle changes suit‐ able for you, to be successful in your new healthier lifestyle.

There are certain medicines and injections available which are very effective in kick start‐ ing your weight loss, these must be prescribed by a Doctor and can be used in conjunction with the support of a Nutritionist.

In extreme cases and again with the advice of a specialist, a minimally invasive surgical procedure can be performed. This can quicken your weight loss, lowering your risk of medical problems associated with obesity. Aftercare

support of a Nutritionist is of utmost impor‐ tance to ensure the best results.

Contact your GP for advice on what steps you need to take to tackle your obesity prob‐ lems enabling you to live a healthy, happy and longer life.

Appointments Landline: 965 837 553 / 965 837 851 • 24H/365D Emergency Number: (+34) 607 255 755 • Opening Times: Mon - Fri: 9:00am / 5:00pm PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS: Down a protein shake after a sweaty session.

WHETHER you’re on holiday or are one of the Costa’s expatriates, it can be tempting to have that second or third drink as the evenings begin to draw out that bit longer.

However, you don’t want to lose a valuable day of your holiday - or an important day off work - simply because you got carried away. W ith that in mind, here are some suggestions to achieve a pain free morning after the night before.

Try to have a good meal before you take a drink or two. I f you can, have a meal

Clinica Britannia Calpe Av. Ejercitos Españoles 16 BIS, 1st Floor, Calpe

Damage limitation that includes carbohydrates (such as pasta or rice) or fats as these will help slow down the body’s absorption of alcohol.

One little-known secret is to take a spoonful of olive oil or prickly pear extract beforehand.

Also, avoid dark-coloured drinks if

you’ve found these to be particularly harsh on you.

These drinks contain natural chemicals called congeners, which irritate blood vessels and tissue in the brain and can make a hangover worse. In between your drinks, have a glass of water or non-fizzy soft

drink and when you get home do the same before you nod off to sleep.

If all your well-intentioned attempts fail and you wake up the morning after the worse for wear, you might be tempted to have the ‘hair of the dog.’ This can be a risky habit, and there’s no scientific proof that it actually works. Best to have a nongreasy breakfast and a glass of fresh juice.

Of course, the most successful and least heeded advice is to not drink more than you know your body can cope with.

48 EWN

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22 - 28 April 2021

DAVID WORBOYS MASKS are worn by Zorro, the Lone Ranger and participants in the Car‐ nival of Venice. And bank robbers and certain circus performers. The rest of the world, meanwhile, are wearing nosebags.

There is so much we don’t know about everything connected with Covid‐19, but there can be little doubt that wearing nosebags is bad for the health and has killed many thousands of people, especially those with respiratory or pulmonary issues.

Apart from the deprivation of quality fresh air and sunshine, cer‐ tain designs can be uncomfortable and sweaty, they can pinch the ears, get tangled in spectacle cords and keep slipping down the nose. And conversation can be stultified as voices are muffled by them.

However, we have to accept that the wearing of masks has saved mil‐ lions of lives from this dreadful virus.

Where nosebags have been ridiculed in countries such as the

NOSEBAGS UNCOMFORTABLE: The wearing of nosebags is compulsory in Spain but some designs are quite amusing.

USA and Brazil, the horrifying statis‐ tics speak for themselves. Until the UK leadership accepted the idea of wearing them, its number of cases and fatalities was among the highest in the world. In the various regions of Spain, casualties are much lower where the wearing of nosebags is observed.

It is still very easy to leave home or alight from a car without the dreaded piece of cloth. This is proba‐

bly why many people seem unable to separate themselves from them.

They wear them round their necks and chins while driving unaccompa‐ nied. I have seen people in bars low‐ ering their nosebags below their mouths to take a slurp of coffee or beer and then immediately raising them again.

There was a recent case in Nerja, where the owner of a bar was fined €2,000 because two of the cus‐

FEATURE

tomers were not wearing nosebags while talking to each other rather than actually drinking. The cus‐ tomers got away with €1,000. And there have been much more draco‐ nian measures than this.

In Spain, the central government has reversed its bizarre decision to compel the wearing of nosebags on the beach, while sunbathing, osten‐ sibly on cosmetic grounds. The re‐ sulting sun tans would have been hi‐ larious to behold.

Some nosebag designs are quite amusing, showing a pig’s nose or a rictus grin but, inevitably, others are worn simply to score points, show‐ ing designer names or exclusive memberships.

More seriously, we should spare a thought for the hundreds of millions of people who are obliged to wear a nosebag throughout their working hours, quite apart from most of their leisure time. Shopkeepers, bus drivers, bank tellers, waitresses, hairdressers and, of course, care workers (but not footballers!) are just a few examples. However, with all the additional dangers and stress, the health workers have the tough‐ est commitment of all. They deserve our heartfelt appreciation.

David Worboys’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

PETS

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New puppies? They need company while you are away IF you have recently brought home one or more puppies then you need to plan more carefully than usual when you go away.

Moreover, are you tentatively planning to get away later this year? Even if you are planning just a short trip you’ll know that you simply can’t travel with some pets.

Puppies especially usually need to stay be‐ hind so they can follow their routines at home. So, plan ahead.

Take a moment to plan ahead for pet and house‐sitters, if you have trips planned later this year. Now is the time to get ready. We will help you as much as we can. Our philoso‐ phy is that we are all in this together. These are the steps to take: 1. Register as a homeowner on House SitMatch.com 2. Choose a Premium account (£89 per year) to ensure you can help online when needed 3. Create a profile with photos of your pet and the house 4. Post a house‐sit advert stating your plans for next year’s holiday Covid permitting Do you need a pet‐sitter in 2021? Then get started right now.

How does it work?

HouseSitMatch can help you find suitable

New puppies always need company, and a guiding hand when you are not there. sitters. Join our network for a small annual fee. You get ID checked for safety and then build your advert saying when you are going on holiday. House‐sitters see your advert, they respond and you choose the sitter who’ll care for your pets.

Trustpilot Testimonials ‐ 4.8 / 5 Excellent rating (New Trustpilot rating scale) Here’s what members have said about us‐ HouseSitMatch found us a perfect house‐ sitter…

HouseSitMatch found us a perfect house‐ sitter while we were away in Canada and we

were delighted with the care and attention that HouseSitMatch took in helping us find the right person.

Ros Morris ‐ Dog owner How do you join?

Please register online via our website www.Housesitmatch.com ‐ Choose a membership plan ‐ Please note prices go up soon so sign up now on subscription to secure these prices: • Standard (DIY option) = £69 pa • Premium (with support at each step) = £89 pa

Do you need a house-sitter? Get in touch. House-sitting can be a win-win for both parties, free house and pet-sitting, and the experienced and checked sitters get free accommodation! Register as either house-sitter or homeowner with a 20 per cent discount using coupon code P2020 - an exclusive offer for readers. To find a house or pet-sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com.

PLAYING is essential for kit‐ tens, to develop their hunt‐ ing and fighting skills. It is also a well‐known fact that cats love to play, and usu‐ ally with the simplest of toys, including boxes, pa‐ per bags, plastic balls, twists of paper and cotton reels.

However, it is worth hav‐ ing a look at some updated

Advertising Feature

My dog keeps falling over, what does it mean and what should I do?

IF your dog suddenly los‐ es their sense of balance they could be suffering from a serious health problem that requires immediate veterinary at‐ tention. The condition relating to a sensory dys‐ function that results in a loss of coordination in the dog’s head, limbs, or rear is called Ataxia.

There are three types of ataxia commonly seen in dogs: cere‐ bellar, propioceptive and vestibular.

Cerebellar ataxia in dogs occurs when the cerebellum is af‐ fected and the main symptoms are loss of coordination, tremors, falling, and weakness. Proprioceptive ataxia is diag‐ nosed when the spinal cord is slowly compressed due to an in‐ tervertebral disk herniation, a tumour, trauma or a vascular in‐ farct. This cause from an inability to properly place a foot on the ground when walking to a paralysis.

Vestibular ataxia is the result of a problem in the inner ear or brainstem and the main symptoms are loss of balance, head tilt, nystagmus (rapid eye movements) and leaning or circling to one side.

A neurological exam, blood tests are required and in most cases a CT scan or MRI will be necessary.

In Costablanca Norte: Anicura Marina Baixa Hospital Veterinario www.veterinariamarinabaixa.com

Top cat toys and more stylish alterna‐ tives that are available for the cat and of course, the owner to enjoy!

The latest toys are colourful and look good but are also very practical, and the first is a ‘Toys R Us

colourful Tri‐Tunnel toy,’ which pops up, folds down and has a dangle toy inside for when your cat ‘wants to be alone.’

Next, there is the ‘Kong Crisscross Rolling Cat Toy,’ which rolls along the floor, with a bell that rings and a rolling ball inside or you could go for a ‘Petlinks Wild Thing Motion Cat Toy,’ that does all the work with its electronic motion ball, that moves and spins around dangling a feather.

Other toys include the ‘SmartyKat Crackle Chute Collapsible tunnel’ and the ‘Cat1st Ninja Cat Cube’ that can easily be stacked and connected to more cubes with Velcro.

As cats get older, like hu‐ mans, they need more of an incentive to get up and jump around for the sake of it, whereas kittens are young and have boundless amounts of energy.

It is worth investing in new toys, so your cat does‐ n’t get bored.

SERVICES

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REMOVALS & STORAGE

22 - 28 April 2021 CHIMNEY SERVICES

PLUMBERS

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PLUMBERS

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AIR CONDITIONING

SERVICES

SERVICES

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EWN 53

REMOVALS & STORAGE

TESTIMONIAL Hunter: Picked up a copy of your paper at Frankie's this morning.

Thanks very much.

You have made my day, week, month etc..

“

TV & SATELLITE

TV & SATELLITE

CLASSIFIEDS AIR CONDITIONING

ARCHITECTS

APPLIANCE REPAIRS WASHING MACHINE BROKEN? Call BlueSky Repairs for ALL your domestic appliance repairs. 626 430 671 (WhatsApp) (291565)

BUY & SELL PRIVATE collector will buy your Gold, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel – 678 716 693 (288662)

CAMPING

lowship Everyone is welcome.

Come as you are! For more information: Dieter Zimmerer +34 698 609 658 or Barbara Zimmerer +34 652 319 810 Email dieterzimmerer@hotmail.com, www.centrosaron.com (10008)

www.helpbenidorm.org and on Facebook VOLUNTEERS NEEDED, particularly Spanish speakers for interpreter service, and car owners. Tel President 607 387 040, Welfare 607 386 964, Interpreters 607 385 842, Equipment 663 495 396. We are an English speaking charity that assists residents and tourists of all nationalities in times of crisis, we also organise social events for members. We meet every Thursday at 10.30 in Jose Llorca Social Centre C. Goya s/n. Benidorm. It is opposite the Foietes Car Park where there is a Wednesday market.

Everyone welcome. It is 400m from Benidorm tram station and on bus routes 1 and 8. We loan out mobility and medical equipment including oxygen concentrators on a short-term basis.

(288658)

CLUBS/SOCIETIES SPIRITUAL FRIENDS Costa Blanca is a non-religious group of spiritually minded people who meet on Wednesday afternoons. Each week different clairvoyance, discussions, talks and demonstrations on spiritual or holistic subjects. email sp.fr.cb@gmail.com website www.spiritualfriendscostablan ca.com or contact Jan. 600 837 054 (10000)

COMPUTERS COMPUTER REPAIRS – Laptops/PCs Qualified Technician –648 065 224 No Call Out Charge No Fix No Fee andy@wizard-computers.biz (290467)

ELECTRICIAN CARE HOME

MB ELECTRICS. Approved electrician. Any electrical repair. Iberdrola paperwork. Affordable prices.

Miquel 655 282 175 www.mbelectrics.es (288732) www.euroweeklynews.com

SITUATIONS VACANT CARE /NURSING HOME. COMPLETE PROFESSIONAL CARE. REASONABLE RATES. CALL 697 834 934 (291981)

CHARITY El Campello Christian Community Evangelical Church - Life and Family Sunday Service in English at 10.00 a.m. and a Spanish Service at 11.45am. C / San Bartolomé 35 bajo, No.6 campellocc@gmail.com www.el campellochristiancommunity.org For more information call Juan Zuniga – 686 203 183 (Spanish) or Sue Bishop - 610 63 94 26 (English) THE SALVATION ARMY English Speaking Church of Denia Worship Service. Sunday 10:30 am Followed by a time of Fel-

54

FOR SALE WANTED Gold, Silver, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel – 678 716 693 (288662)

GARDENING SERVICES DAVID THE TREE GUY Cutting, trimming & removal of trees. Torrevieja, Alicante, Benidorm areas. 722 652 173 (291904)

GENERAL SERVICES MISTER Fix-It handyman, available in Jalon Valley area, hourly rates, 657 189 519 (290302)

GOLD WANTED

22 - 28 April 2021 • www.euroweeklynews.com SPONSORED BY

EVEN INSURE YOU FOR UPTO A €1000 OF WATERLOSS. CALL 686116297 (WHATS APP TO) OR VISIT www.sosinsuranceinspain. com or email tracey@sosin suranceinspain.com (290495) BENEFICIAL INSURANCE SERVICES. Car, Home, Business, Travel, Life, Funeral, all insurances available. Policies in English. BEST rates, covers & service.

Immediate quotes. Tel 961 129 215 / 622 275 561, (WhatsApp) info@beneficialinsuranceinspain. com or visit www.beneficialinsur anceinspain.com for online quote.

MOTOR INSURANCE. For the most competitive quotes in English call Linea Directa on 902 123 309, you could save as much as 30% and you can transfer your existing no claims bonus. Call Linea Directa on 902 123 309 for motor insurance with a human voice in English from Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and save money now! (200726) STAY SAFE! Abbeygate Insurance Call 971 277 455 For your security www.abbeygateinsure.com

LEGAL HEALTH & BEAUTY CHIROPODIST/PODIATRIST, Philip Mann, clinics in Benissa, Moraira, Javea, Calpe and Albir. 686 912 307 (282699)

COUNSELLING SUPPORT for a better present and happier future. Call Tanya, Counsellor/Psychologist 634 354 892 www.feelgoodcs.com (291137)

INSURANCE FED UP OF NOT BEING SENT YOUR RENEWAL? CUT YOUR INSURANCE COSTS AND STILL HAVE 100% COVER. YOU HAVE TRIED THE REST NOW TRY THE BEST WITH SOS INSURANCE. WE CAN

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Immediate payment for all purchases. Mobile / WhatsApp +34 600 726 221 Office +34 965 687 946 www.fwreurocars.com info@fwreurocars.com (291571) WE ARE currently the market leader in our country in the sale of direct car, motorbike, home and company fleet insurance.

Since we started out in 1995, our philosophy has always been to offer an excellent service with the best prices in the market. For the most competitive quotes in English, call Linea Directa on 902 123 309. (200726)

PAINTERS/DECORATORS

www.iurisunited.net Lawyers. Tax advice and bookkeeping. All Gestoria Services.

Experts in Brexit and Residence Permits. NIE Numbers. FREE 1st.consultation. Ask Oliver. Tel: 606 051 000 info@iurisunited. net (291473)

GOLD & SILVER Bought & Sold, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel – 678 716 693

MOTORING AUTO BASTIAN mobile mechanic. Tel 608 860 725.

REFURBISHMENT We specialise in refurbishing homes and restaurants. For more information please visit us on www.muxasari.com/english/ or Tel: 687 070 164

ROLLER SHUTTERS ROLLER SHUTTER REPAIRS, awnings, motors, mosquito blinds. Calpe + 50 kms. 659 464 992 www.toldosalchemy. com

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MCIOB, CAAT - LOCKDOWN REMOTE WHATSAPP VIDEO ADVICE available for reduced fee Tel: 653 733 066 / 962 807 247 www.costablancasurveyors.com

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MISCELLANEOUS

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REMOVALS/STORAGE

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TRANSLATIONS SPANISH INTERPRETER for all your appointment needs, has car. Effective, Friendly & Affordable service. Call 609 679 808

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EWN 55

VW Arteon - a shooting brake for a modern generation ROAD TEST

by Mark Slack AS estates go VW’s Arteon Shooting Brake has a presence, the wide frontal look, muscular rear and sleek lines makes for a stylish driveway addition. Based on the Passat the Arteon shoot‐ ing brake is aimed at being a mix of the practical with added style.

It certainly turns heads and usu‐ ally for all the right reasons.

The term shooting brake is a delightfully old fashioned one harking back to a time when cars had little space and upper class shooting parties needed transport for all their kit. This German interpretation of the shooting brake, although not without compromises, is a par‐ ticularly appealing one.

A very class act.

Prices start at €40,759 (£35,395) and peak at €50,070 (£43,480) for the top‐line ver‐ sion with all‐wheel‐drive. As with all German automotive machines the prices can reach even headier financial heights if you make a start on the op‐ tions list. My R‐Line with 2.0‐ litre TSI petrol power, was list‐ ed at €44,243 (£38,420) but had a whopping €9,212 (£8,000) worth of extra cost op‐ tions.

Although the test car was not my favourite in terms of colour, dark grey with black interior, a much brighter and classier colour palette is available and makes the car look much more than its circa €46k (£40k) price tag.

If you’re looking for a capa‐ cious load carrier then the Arte‐ on Shooting Brake is not for you.

Its

striking lines means the load practicality, while better than an equivalent saloon, is not the best but then that really isn’t the point of the Arteon. Your walk‐ ing gear, picnic paraphernalia, children’s travel accoutrements or other outdoor activity kit can easily be accommodated.

Manufacturers have become expert at smaller capacity, more efficient engines that still pos‐ sess decent performance. My Arteon’s 2.0‐litre, four‐cylinder petrol engine passes the bench‐ mark 100 kph in 7.8 seconds and a 233 kph maximum speed while returning, during my

week of mostly local driving, 8.3 litres/100 km. There’s even the option of a plug‐in hybrid.

The Arteon Shooting Brake is‐ n’t a small car, in fact it looks even larger thanks to its design, and inside it feels spacious.

Standard kit is good with such fare as keyless entry and start

and tailgate, a superb panoram‐ ic sunroof and much, much more.

There’s the usual VW solid, quality feel, it’s a car that com‐ bines the very best of practical SUVs and traditional estates without their bulk and boxiness.

It’s a car that’s a very class act.