In the finals

RICOTE in the Region of Murcia, has been named as one of the 10 finalists aspiring to be the Capital of Rural Tourism 2023. This Murcian town, with a population of 1,253 inhabitants, is competing against: Bocairent (Valencia), Campo Lameiro (Pontevedra), Candeleda (Avila), Cardona (Barcelona), Colemenar de Oreja (Madrid), Elche de Sierra (Albacete), Nalda (La Rioja), Segura de León (Badajoz) and Zerian (Guipúzcoa).

This is the seventh year this competition has been running and the candidates had to meet certain requirements to enter. The population of the town must be less than 10,000 inhabitants, they must have rural accommodations, and they can not have been finalists or winners of any earlier editions. And of course, they must have a passion for attracting rural travellers.

More than 200 candidates applied to be the Capital of Rural Tourism, and that figure had to be whittled down to the 10 finalists listed previously. Voting has now begun and it will conclude on April 24. The winner will then be announced on April 27.

Good luck Ricote!

Help for self-employed

THE President of the Region of Murcia, Fernando López Miras announced on Friday, March 24 a plan to help small businesses. The budget for this plan is €5 million and the application for this payment begins on April 1. It is directed toward businesses with up to two employees that suffered losses in 2022. They calculate that the payment will be €600 and will offer some respite to these small businesses that have been hit hard by the effects of inflation and the general economic state.

López Miras went on to critise the Spanish government, he feels they have turned their backs on this sector, and because of this 20,000 businesses have had to close their doors. It was also announced there will be financial help from the government of the Region of Murcia for mortgage holders. A one­off payment of €300 to help alleviate the pressure some are feeling due to the increase in mortgage rates. For more information consult the Instituto de Crédito y Finanzas Region de Murcia (ICREF).

region in particular has moved into high gear working with SEF ­ the unemployment office ­ to recruit 12 workers to clean and maintain the coastline for a period of six months.

Of these 12, nine of them are concentrated on the removal of biomass and three of the workers will be dedicated to gardening. The work began in La Cala del Pino and will finish at the Palmeral of Cabo de Palos.

STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

Bus blaze

PASSENGERS were safely evacuated from a bus that was on fire on the Gran Vía, between Calle Almudena and Calle Acisclo Díaz, in central Murcia on Thursday evening, March 23.

The fire brigade, the National Police and Local Police arrived on the scene to secure the area and create a perimeter around the bus.

An ambulance also arrived quickly on the scene and even though the event occurred on one of the busiest streets in Murcia City nobody was injured.