MALLORCA’S Tourist Board has hit back at growing anti-tourism protests sweeping the island, standing firm behind its new rallying cry: “A Tourist, A Friend.”
Tourism is still the lifeblood of Mallorca’s economy - the board said it’s the reason the island enjoys near full employment and is one of Spain’s richest regions.
But that hasn’t stopped local residents from hitting the streets in anger. Recent protests have seen furious crowds shouting slogans like ‘Tourists Go Home!’ and ‘Mallorca is Not For Sale!’ as they slam overcrowding, soaring rents, and environmental damage blamed on the booming tourist trade.
Blame
The Tourist Board admits there are problems but warns against blaming the whole industry:
“Everyone has a part to play - locals, businesses, visitors, and officials,” a board spokesman said.
“We hope all tourists have a great stay and want to return again and again,” the spokesman added.
The Mallorca Tourist Board has been around since 1905 - Spain’s first private tourism body - representing everyone from hotel bosses to local groups.
FAKE POWER OF ATTORNEY STOLE MY HOME
A PREGNANT expat fears losing her baby after she discovered fraudsters had stolen her dream home with fake legal certificates.
The Scandinavian environmental scientist is now questioning how conmen could somehow create a bogus power of attorney (POA) to acquire the apartment in Spain.
The 32-year-old is now ‘terrified’ of leaving her flat, after someone started to send threatening notes, ordering her out.
“There was no verification, no phone call, no warning. We were completely blindsided,” she told the Olive Press , this week.
“How can the Spanish legal system allow this to happen?”
Alarmingly, a leading property lawyer, Diego Echavarria said it was ‘not uncommon’.
“It’s in fact the third example I’ve heard of in a year,” he said.
Asking not to be named for legal reasons, the Scandinavian buyer had moved to Mija on the Costa del Sol in search of tranquility after buying the 80m2 property worth €320,000 in April last year. But what was meant to be a peaceful haven in the sun has turned into a living nightmare.
By Samantha Mythen & Dilip Kuner & Jon Clarke
“It was my dream home with the most breathtaking sea view,” she continued, her voice clearly shaking.
“I used to sit on the terrace in the evening thinking, ‘this is where I’ll grow old’.
Then, in September, everything changed, when her house was broken into. She said the burglars stole golf clubs, branded perfumes, bags and keys to her car, and they installed two high security locks on her front door.
She also believes they stole her identity documents, which were in easily accessible and named cartons in the apartment.
And then began a bizarre and terrifying journey, leading finally to Colombia - where, it emerged, a forged power of attorney certificate was created in her name.
The house sale was eventually completed back in Spain in December, by a notary in Sevilla.
“Apparently, I gave someone the legal right to sell my home,” she continued.
“But I never actually signed anything. I’ve never even been to Colombia,” she said.
“And yet, here I am, being told that my house belongs to a stranger.”
Fraud
Sara only discovered the fraud this month when property tax agency, the Catastro Hacienda , in formed her the house was now registered under some one else’s name.
“I obviously thought it must be a mistake. But when I checked the registry, I felt like the ground had been pulled out from under me. My name is gone.”
Even more disturbing was how easily the fraud went through.
Since hiring a lawyer to fight the fraudulent transfer, things have taken a darker turn. She has received handwritten, threatening notes from someone claiming to be the new ‘owner’ of the apartment.
They demanded she contact them via WhatsApp or face ‘violent consequences’.
“We’re being treated like criminals in our own home - like squatters,” she said.
“I’m scared to open the door and to even walk outside in case they are watching or stalking us. We don’t know who’s behind this or what they’re capable of. Every night, I sleep with one eye open.”
To make matters more complicated she is 23 weeks pregnant and was hospitalised this week with fears of a premature birth caused by the stress.
She now believes she is battling to save both her baby and her home.
“Spain was supposed to be our safe haven. But it feels like a jungle, where the strong prey on the unsuspecting,” she said.
“There’s a loophole in the system big enough for criminals to walk right through - with your home in their hands.”
Despite the ongoing legal battle, which she’s certain she will win, she insists she will sell up and return home, once it’s over.
“I don’t feel safe here anymore. It doesn’t feel like home. It feels like betrayal.”
EXCLUSIVE
COME BACK!: Message to tourists leaving from Palma airport
IN BRIEF
Cable theft
POLICE have arrested two men who are thought to have been involved in copper theft. The suspects allegedly stole around 2,000 metres of copper cables in Sa Pobla, Llubi and Mora.
Fast food
PALMA airport will welcome ‘the largest McDonald’s in Europe’ as the fast food chain recently unveiled a large new outlet, which will primarily serve British passengers due to its location.
Run date
THE Binter NightRun Series takes place this Saturday, with Palma being one of the five cities hosting the sporting event, which aims to reach 20,000 runners across all hosts.
Sailing in
ONE of the world’s largest superyachts has been spotted off the coast of Andratx as the Emir of Qatar enjoys the vessel’s beach club area, swimming platform, and helipad in the Mallorcan sun.
A MAN attempting to board a flight to Germany has been arrested at Mallorca Airport after authorities discovered a haul of 55 Roman-era coins and a ring hidden in his luggage.
The arrest forms part of an international crackdown on illicit art and antiquities trafficking, dubbed Oper-
Roman art theft
ation Pandora, which this year marks its ninth iteration.
Coordinated by Spain’s Guardia Civil alongside Europol and Interpol, the ongoing sting has seen 80 suspects
detained across multiple nations and nearly 40,000 artefacts recovered.
In Spain alone, officers have seized over 2,500 Roman coins looted from the Tamusia archaeological site. The stolen treasures were reportedly being sold online before being traced and intercepted.
Brit in rape probe
Millionaire expat under investigation over rape allegations in Mallorca
A BRITISH businessman is under investigation over allegations that he raped two women he met online, with Spanish police probing separate incidents.
The 55-year-old man, described by local media as a millionaire who previously ran a mobile phone company before going bankrupt, was arrested earlier this month by the Guardia Civil. He was questioned at a barracks in Son Bugadelles, near Calvia, in the presence of a lawyer and later released. A court in Palma has since taken over the case.
By Alex Trelinski
The allegations relate to two women who say they were attacked at a five-star hotel in Portals Nous several months apart.
The first complaint was filed at the beginning of the year by a South American woman, who told authorities she had flown to Mallorca to meet the man. He allegedly collected her from Palma airport and took her to the hotel, where the assault is said to have occurred.
More recently, a sec -
KNIFE HORROR
A HOMELESS Spaniard has been arrested after stabbing a man in the neck outside Mallorca’s Son Sant Joan Airport. The 45-year-old attacker approached the victim - a local in his 30s who was picking up a relative - and suddenly shouted: “Where is my cell phone?” before knifing him.
ond woman, said to be of Ukrainian origin, was taken to Son Llatzer Hospital for examination after report -
The victim was rushed to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries; doctors said the blade narrowly missed an artery. The suspect fled briefly but was quickly detained by Guardia Civil officers. He has been remanded in custody without bail and refused to testify during his initial court appearance. Police say the attack was unprovoked.
ing that she had also been raped by the same man at the same hotel. She told police they had met online. According to reports, she also contacted others via a WhatsApp group, alleging there were additional victims.
Spanish outlets have reported that the suspect has been involved in several scandals in the UK, though he has not been formally charged.
The investigation continues.
Watch out
THE Policia Nacional has arrested three women in Palma for robbing luxury watches and swiping thousands of euros from stolen credit cards. All of Romanian nationality, the women are accused of robbery and scamming.
It follows reports made in February and April by tourists who were approached by a group of men along Palma’s Paseo Maritimo and in a local bar.
Spiked
Both victims suspect they had been spiked as they were drinking and neither ‘remember anything’ until waking up and realising their belongings had been taken.
The February victim realised his attackers had also taken €8,600 over 16 transactions. Meanwhile, the man who was targeted in April lost €1,100. The investigation remains open.
A DRUNK driver injured two Policia Nacional officers and wrecked their patrol car after a high-speed chase through Ibiza. Around 4.30 am on Sunday, police spotted a luxury car with full beams on. When told to dip them, the driver fled, weaving between lanes and ignoring signals. Officers cornered him near a shopping centre, but he reversed at high speed into their vehicle, deploying airbags and causing injuries. The driver was arrested and tested positive for alcohol.
CRIME SCENE: The Brit is accused of two rapes in Son Bugadelles, near Calvia
NEWS HOUNDS
Delve into the expat stories that matter in Spain with the eyeopening new Olive Press podcast
KEEN to discover how investigative journalism works in Spain? The Rest is Spain podcast offers an insider’s look at the major stories impacting expats and tourists each week. Hosted by Costa del Sol resident Caroline Lips, with Olive Press editor Jon Clarke and digital editor Walter Finch, the 30-minute show breaks down Spain’s most compelling headlines.
Shock
This week’s episode dives into the shock imprisonment of expat fashion designer Jody Smart and uncovers the growing scandal around Iberian Funeral Plans SL, which could leave thousands out of pocket. From natural disasters like the Valencia floods to national crises such as the
By Jon Clarke
power blackout, no subject is off-limits. The team also investigates the strange and scandalous behavior of Estepona’s popular mayor, including allegations of employing a woman for €3,300 a month to ‘inspect lampposts’. The Rest is Spain doesn’t just report the news - it explores how journalists uncover it. Listeners get a rare glimpse into the challenges investigative reporters face, including sourcing stories, verifying facts, and making tough ethical decisions.
Whether you’re an expat, a frequent visitor, or just curious about life behind the headlines in Spain, this podcast offers something for everyone.
LISTEN: To our new podcast
Just search for the Olive Press Podcast and tune in.
MULLINS IT OVER
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE IN THE UK AND LIFE IN SPAIN, WRITES CHARLIE
Hurry up and wait!
From delayed footpaths to Brexit border queues, life in the sun runs on its own clock
SPAIN as a nation, is famously inefficient - where getting anything done feels like a miracle, and when it does happen, it takes 10 times longer than it should.
There’s definitely a north-south cultural divide in Europe, and in this regard, it couldn’t be more obvious.
But I don’t think it’s because the locals don’t care or lack the will to make things happen. It’s more like an evolutionary coping mechanism - a built-in safety valve to manage expectations.
If something’s promised in a year, just assume five. That way, you’re never too disappointed.
Einstein and Stephen Hawking said time isn’t a fixed thing, and honestly, life in Spain might just be the best real-world proof of that theory.
What’s prompted this little rant, you ask?
Well, down in my neck of the woods, it’s taken three years just to award a contract for a pedestrian path between La Cala and Fuengirola. At this rate, we might see it finished by 2030 - if we’re lucky.
Speaking of things finally getting done, I see common sense has at last prevailed: Brits will soon be allowed to use the automatic immigration gates at Spanish (and other EU) airports. I won’t dig up the whole Brexit mess, but it’s taken nearly a decade of posturing for a bit of practicality to shine through.
I’m sure EU citizens had a bit of a chuckle watching the long queues of Brits winding their way through Malaga airport, waiting for a passport stamp - all after we told them exactly where they could shove their club membership. Personally, I won’t miss being treated like a second-class citizen by puffed-up border officials.
Meanwhile, over in the Canaries, the locals are kicking off - again - about there being too many tourists. Which, frankly, seems a bit rich.
Most of what makes those islands such great places to live is thanks to the vast amount of tourist money flowing in every year.
And as for the original inhabitants of the Canaries? We’ll never know what they’d think, since the Spanish wiped them out 500 years ago when they showed up and took the islands for themselves.
Sure, Spain has its own issues with illegal immigration. But honestly, people booking hotels, eating out, employing
AGREEMENT: Britihs passport holders will be able to use automatic passport gates - at last!
locals - that seems a far cry from what’s happening back in the UK, where we’re apparently under siege from asylum seekers chasing a free ride.
Maybe Keir Starmer could install e-gates on the south coast that issue work visas, spending money, and a hotel address all in one go?
And finally - though I’m no massive football fan - I expected at least one Spanish side to make it into one of the two big European finals.
But no such luck. My first year living in what was once the epicentre of world football, and we’ve got a French team playing an Italian one for the Champions League, and two of the worst Premier League sides in Manchester United and Spurs scrapping it out for the Europa League.
Dua’s
Spanish duo
POP queen Dua Lipa thrilled fans in Madrid by belting out Spanish songs on stage.
Kicking off her Radical Optimism tour with two soldout shows, Dua stunned crowds with a sultry cover of Enrique Iglesias’ Hero, fully en Español. “I’m nervous,” she giggled, “but sing along if you know it!” The crowd roared “¡Reina!” as she followed up the next night with Manu Chao’s Me Gustas Tu Between shows, she hit the Prado Museum (pictured) and fan-girled over Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights. Even film icon Pedro Almodovar showed up – no wonder, she’s his latest muse!
OSCAR-winning actor Jeremy Irons got the red carpet treatment at Sevilla’s famous Feria de Abril. The Lion King star, 76, was all smiles as Mayor Jose Luis Sanz pinned a badge on him at the city’s official marquee (pictured). “It’s an honour,” beamed Irons, rocking a spotty scarf, red flower, and sipping local tipple rebujito This marks his fourth visit to the city - but first at the
fair. The Brit mingled with celebs, took in horse parades, and posed for thrilled fans.
“Sevilla always opens its arms to culture,” said the mayor. “This time, it hugged a legend.”
IRONS TREATMENT
MULLINS
Available now on YouTube, Apple Podcasts , Spotify , and via the Olive Press
website.
SHORT CUTS AND BRUISES
A GERMAN tourist has been rescued after falling four metres while trying to access an Alcudia beach.
Mountain Rescue operatives attended the scene on Wednesday at 2pm after beachgoers sounded the alarm.
The man was trying to reach Platja d’Es Coll Baix via a dangerous, rocky short-cut.
He suffered a broken ankle and collarbone alongside various sprains after colliding with the rough terrain.
After being attended by firefighters at around 2.45pm, he was moved to Son Espases Hospital by helicopter.
Diner death
A WOMAN, 81, choked to death while dining at the El Corte Ingles restaurant in Palma.
She lost consciousness and stopped breathing.
Paramedics tried to dislodge the piece of food in her windpipe without success, and surgically opened an airway in her neck.
Despite resuscitation manoeuvres, she was pronounced dead after an hour.
It’s the second such fatality on Mallorca in a matter of weeks.
Last month, a 63-year-old man died at a Vilafranca de Bonany restaurant after choking on a piece of steak.
Fashion boob
BIANCA Censori, wife of rapper Kanye West, could be slapped with a €3,000 fine after stepping out in a barely-there outfit that’s sparked outrage in Mallorca.
The Aussie designer stunned - and scandalised - locals in Santanyi, parading through public streets in a see-through micro top and dangerously low skirt, violating strict decency laws that ban semi-nudity outside beach zones.
As Bianca bared (nearly) all, Kanye made headlines of his own by renting out the entire Pueblo Español
museum for six weeks.
All events at the iconic venue have been abruptly cancelled, fuelling rumours the rapper is mixing work and pleasure during his extended stay.
West, 47, one of music’s richest men with a $1.8 billion fortune, has already been spotted in Cala d’Or and recently caused drama by storming off Piers Morgan’s show after just four minutes.
The Grammy king (24 wins and counting) might be here for a creative retreat - but with viral clips of Bianca turning the island into her catwalk, locals are torn between fascination and fury.
OPEN SESAME!
Brits heading to Spain 'will be able to use e-gates and skip queues’ as part of new UK-EU deal
BRITISH passport holders will soon be able to use e-gates at airports across Spain and other EU countries, following a new agreement reached at the first UK-EU summit since Brexit. The change, confirmed on Monday, aims to ease airport queues and improve travel ahead of the busy summer season.
Nick Thomas-Symonds, the UK’s Minister for EU Relations, previously said the government was pushing for faster border processing for British travellers. “I am certainly pushing for people to go through [passport control] more quickly,” he told the BBC Since Brexit, UK citizens
By Samantha Mythen
have faced manual checks and long queues, and are no longer eligible to use e-gates previously reserved for EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals. While access to e-gates will now be restored, travellers will still be subject to the 90-day rule within any 180day period in the Schengen Zone.
The agreement was reached at a London summit hosted by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, attended by senior EU officials including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“It’s time to look forward - to move on from the old
political fights and to find common sense, practical solutions,” Starmer said on X. “We will close a deal in the national interest.”
AN eight-year-old British boy was seriously injured when he ran into a hotel window in Mallorca.
The youngster was with his parents at the Fergus Club Europa in Paguera.
The boy started running and crashed into a window overlooking a swimming pool, which shattered, inflicting
BRIT BOY HURT
deep cuts on him.
The family had only just arrived for their holiday and were settling into their ground floor room.
The youngster sustained severe injuries to his abdomen and was taken to the Son Espases Hospital where an emergency operation was performed.
Passport stamping for UK travellers remains in place until the EU launches its biometric Entry/Exit System (EES).
Tourist overload
A NEW Which? study has revealed that Mallorca as Europe’s most visited destination, with over 51 million overnight stays in 2023 - far exceeding its population of 966,000.
Paris ranks second with 44 million stays compared to 2.1 million residents.
While Mallorca tops overnight stays, Zakynthos in Greece faces the highest ‘tourist pressure’, with 150 overnight stays per resident.
Other hotspots include Croatia’s Istria and Spain’s Fuerteventura and Lanzarote.
Paris leads in overnight stays per square kilometre, followed by Athens.
HANG UP!
MOBILE phones and smartwatches are to be banned from all Balearic state-funded and semi-private (concertada) schools starting next academic year. The announcement came from Antoni Vera, the regional Minister for Education and Universities, who said the move reflects a ‘broad consensus’ across the islands’ educational community.
Digital
Under the new regulations, mobile phones and other personal digital devices, such as smartwatches, will be prohibited throughout the entire school day. This includes class time, breaks, extra-curricular activities, and school trips.
Only in rare cases, like medical needs or approved lessons, will phones be allowed.
Previously, mobile phone rules were mandatory only in public schools and served merely as recommendations for concertada schools.
Brit’s death
plunge
A BRITISH woman has died in hospital after falling from the es Jonquet windmill viewpoint in Palma. The 39-year-old tumbled some 15 metres onto the Santo Domingo de la Calzada square just before 8.30am on Monday.
The Policia Nacional and Palma Policia Local cordoned off the area to allow medical teams to work on the injured Brit.
Hospital
An ambulance crew performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation to stabilise her condition before taking her to Son Espases Hospital. Her injuries were described as ‘very serious’ and she died shortly afterwards in the ICU. The Policia Nacional are carrying out a formal investigation but have already ruled out any foul play. It’s not been disclosed whether the woman was a tourist or a resident.
DELAY: These Brits queued for hours at Barcelona airport passport control
COVER UP!: Bianca and Kanye on the streets of Mallorca. Photo: Cordon Press
Chemical blaze
A MASSIVE explosion at a chemical warehouse in Alcala de Guadaíra, near Sevilla, has raised serious environmental concerns after sending toxic black smoke into the sky.
The plume was visible from over 80km away and captured by satellite.
The blast at Plainsur, a chemical distribution facility, ignited a fire that burned for hours, releasing potentially hazardous fumes.
Authorities warned 25,000 residents to stay indoors, shut windows, and wear masks.
Two people were injured, and over 100 emergency personnel were deployed.
The fire, reportedly sparked by a flammable solvent, prompted evacuation of nearby businesses in the industrial estate.
Environmental groups are urging a thorough investigation into chemical storage practices and long-term air quality impacts in the affected area.
TIDAL WAVE
642 sun-kissed spots bag blue flag – but big names in Benalmadena, Benidorm and Mallorca are booted off!
SUN, sea and squeaky-clean shores - Spain has stormed ahead in the global beach beauty contest with a tidal wave of Blue Flags. A whopping 642 beaches
By Yzabelle Bostyn
have clinched the prestigious Blue Flag award – marking the country as a true titan of
tan lines and turquoise waters.
Boasting 15% of all Blue Flag beaches on the planet, the country has once again proven it’s the ultimate destination for sunshine seekers.
The elite Blue Flag status, handed out by the Foundation for Environmental Education, isn’t just about golden sands - it recognises top-tier water quality, safety, accessibility and eco creds. This year sees 16 newcomers diving into the Blue Flag club for the first time, with another 23 old favourites reclaiming their place in the sun. Among the fresh faces are Puerto de Sotogrande in Cadiz, Los Monteros in Malaga, El Bol in Alicante, and Calblanque in Murcia – just a handful of the stunners now flaunting their flags.
CHANGING WEATHER
EXPERTS say unusual jet stream behavior is behind Spain’s heavy rain as well as the UK’s dry spring. Normally bringing storms to northern Europe, the jet stream has shifted, creating high pressure over the UK and pushing rain south to Spain. France has seen its driest February–April since 1959 and its fifth hottest April.
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Leading the sandy charge is the Valencian Community, flying high with 143 Blue Flags, followed closely by Andalucia (138), Galicia (108) and Catalunya (101). Even the island getaways are shiningwith 47 in the Canaries and 32 in the Balearics.
But it’s not all sunshine and sangria - 38 beaches were stripped of their blue status this year. Victims of pollu-
tion, overcrowding and poor safety
The UK is experiencing its driest spring in 69 years, with farmers already irrigating fields. Though not at drought levels yet, experts warn that future heat waves could escalate risks. While climate change links remain unconfirmed, scientists say changing patterns suggest a shift toward a warmer, more erratic climate.
Top of the Blue Flag leaderboard is the Galician hotspot of Sanxenxo, with 17 beaches making the cut. Not far behind are Vigo (12), Orihuela in Alicante (10), and Cartagena and Marbella with eight apiece.
The winners were announced at an
Planning Ahead With a Funeral Plan in Spain
Once the money is placed into the trust, it cannot be withdrawn freely by Compare Fu-
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Our mission is to make the process of planning a funeral, in Spain, as easy and stress-free as possible. We are committed to providing affordable funeral plans with the highest quality of care and support.
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If a client chooses to cancel their funeral plan in writing, the funds will be refunded directly to them, minus any applicable fees.
UPON DEATH –PAYMENT TO THE FUNERAL DIRECTOR
When the time comes, the funeral funds will be paid directly to the nominated funeral director to cover the cost of the services.
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The purpose of the Compare Funerals Purpose Trust is to ensure that your money is always available when you or your family need it most.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH
included Cala Major in Mallorca, Mal Pas in Benidorm, and Santa Ana in Benalmadena - a major blow for some of Spain’s best-known beach resorts.
BLUE FLAG: La Jaquita beach in Tenerife picked up the award
CEREMONY:
event in Javea
Voted top expat paper in Spain
A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than two million people a month.
Don’t let the trust die
WHEN 32-year-old Sara moved to Mijas from Scandinavia, she dreamed of sun-soaked evenings and peace by the sea.
Instead, she was plunged into a legal and emotional nightmare - her home stolen through a forged power of attorney.
Her story is not just shocking, it’s a glaring warning. Someone impersonated her, created a fake power of attorney in Colombia, and sold her property in Spain. And the Spanish legal system allowed it to happen. A notary in Sevilla approved the transaction without any verification call or in-person check. No one raised a red flag.
In 2025, how can this still be possible? How can someone lose a home without knowing it’s even being sold?
Sara’s trauma is profound. She is pregnant, frightened, and receiving threats from someone claiming to be the ‘new owner’.
She’s been hospitalised due to stress. And yet, she is the one fighting to prove her innocence, while the criminals remain untouched.
This isn’t just one woman’s misfortune - it’s a systemic failure. Spain’s property laws are riddled with loopholes that allow fraudsters to exploit bureaucratic blind spots.
Expats are especially vulnerable, often unaware of how easily such crimes can occur.
It’s time for reform. Power of attorney rules must be modernised, remote document authentication strengthened, and notaries held to stricter accountability.
A real-time alert system should notify owners of any changes to their property records. And cross-border document verification must become standard.
Spain cannot afford to let trust in its legal and property systems erode any further. If homeowners can’t rely on basic protections, what hope is there for anyone’s dream of a safe home?
PUBLISHER / EDITOR
Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es
Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es
Yzabelle Bostyn yzabelle@theolivepress.es
Samantha Mythen samantha@theolivepress.es
Tom Ewart Smith tom@theolivepress.es
ADMIN Victoria Humenyuk Makarova (+34) 951 154 841 admin@theolivepress.es
On the trail of a butcher
AS Spain’s National Court gears up for one of the most high-profile money laundering trials in its recent history, the spotlight has turned to the sprawling financial empire allegedly built by Rifaat al-Assad.
The infamous uncle of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - known as the ‘Butcher of Hama’ - and his extensive investments across Spain and Gibraltar are in the crosshairs of the public prosecutor.
The case is centered on the alleged laundering
How the ‘Butcher of Hama’ and his family allegedly laundered a fortune through Spain and Gibraltar
By Dilip Kuner
relatives and two close associates, all accused of being central players in a network of shell companies, shady deals, and offshore assets.
At the heart of the scandal is not just the astonishing amount of wealth involved, but also the political and ethical questions it raises for European governments - particularly in Gibraltar and Spain.
In particular, the court has been looking at how such a notorious figure was allowed to embed himself so deeply in the real estate and financial systems of both
Especially as Rifaat earned his gruesome nickname over the 1982 Hama massacre, where he led a military operation that killed an estimated 25,000 people.
Syria’s then Vice President, Rifaat fell from grace following a failed coup attempt against his brother, then-President Hafez
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al-Assad, in 1984.
Exiled soon after, he began amassing property and influence abroad, particularly in France, Spain, and Gibraltar. European investigators now believe he was syphoning off billions from the Syrian treasury even as Syria descended into poverty and civil war.
French prosecutors in 2020 sentenced him in absentia to four years in prison for money laundering and embezzlement, and seized €90 million in assets. Now, Spanish authorities are following suit, even though the case has temporarily been sent back to Marbella court, over an administrative issue (see below).
The Marbella empire
The scale of Rifaat al-Assad’s real estate holdings in Spain is staggering. Prosecutors allege he purchased over 500 properties - including luxury hotels such as the Park Plaza Suites and Plaza Beach Banus in Marbella - and a vast estate in Benahavis.
Many of these acquisitions were made through shell companies registered in
YOU SPEAKY ENGLISH?
IN a dazzling display of irony, the UK has announced that skilled workers and immigrants wanting to settle there must now speak English to B2 standard - a level so advanced it practically requires you to quote Hamlet before you are handed your residency permit.
Meanwhile, in Spain, tens of thousands of British and other northern European expats are still pointing at menus, mouthing words like mime artists, and calling every waiter ‘amigo’, despite living here for years.
“Fluent English?” scoffed a barman in Marbella. “Tell that to the man who’s been ordering a ‘pint-o beer-o’ since 2013!” Social media erupted with Spanish delight.
One post teased, “So, do all Brits in Benidorm have to take GCSE Spanish now?” Another suggested the ultimate punishment: “Ban fish and chips for anyone who cannot say pescado.” Which brings us neatly to the linguistic tragedy of Sid the guppy.
Brits Demand B2 English from immigrants – while still asking for a ‘pint-o beer-o’ in Spain
By Dilip Kuner
In English, fish is fish. Alive, dead, battered, grilled. It swims and it fries under the same name.
But in Spanish, there’s ‘pez’ (the swimming kind) and ‘pescado’ (the vinegar-soaked dinner kind).
If it moves, it’s a pez. If you shake salt on it, it’s a pescado. Simple? Not for Karen. Ah, Karen. She has lived in Andalucia for 25
years and still greets neighbours with the linguistic finesse of someone shouting into Google Translate. When a kindly local woman knocked on her door with a homemade cake, decorated with ‘Bienvenidos a Espana’ (wel come to Spain), Karen was po litely baffled. The woman kept saying, “Yo, Milagros. Milagros, yo!” Karen smiled and nodded, then later told a friend: “Very kind of her, but I do not know who this ‘Jo’ is.”
This, friends, is what happens when we study a language system that teaches us to conjugate ‘avoir’ at 13, then forgets to mention that real people might one day talk back.
Blame the education system if you must. But maybe it’s deeper - an imperial ‘resaca’ (that is hangover, not a tapas dish).
Brits abroad often operate under the noble
Gibraltar, often with the help of disgraced accountancy firm Marrache & Co. The financial structure behind these purchases was labyrinthine. At its centre was High Mountain Estates Ltd, a company registered in the Bahamas but owned by the Alhambra Trust, controlled by Rifaat.
assumption that if they just shout English slowly and loudly enough, people will understand.
Take a stroll around any Spanish market town, and you will hear it in action - a baffled cashier asked: “DO... YOU... HAVE... MILK?”, as if volume alone might bridge centuries of linguistic and cultural difference.
Case in point: in Spain, if your bar bill is €19 and you say ‘bote’ as you hand over 20, the place erupts in smiles and bell-ringing. In Britain, that same bell is a passive-aggressive death knell telling you to finish your pint and leave.
Cultural nuance? Linguistic sensitivity? Let’s not get ahead of ourselves - there are still entire expat communities in Spain who think gracias’ is pronounced ‘grassy-arse’. And yet, while Britain tightens its rules and
BUTCHER: A bread queue in Halfaya was the scene of disaster when it was bombed on Assad’s orders
SILVER LINING
The fabulously ornate architecture that took its inspiration from posh tableware
GREEN DESIGN
THESE pictures show off some of the eye-catching eco-projects in
Dubbed Internalities: Architectures for Territorial Equilibrium, the Spanish Pavilion is all about saving the planet - brick by brick. Curated by architects Roi Salgueiro and Manuel Bouzas, the show takes aim at construction’s dirty secrets - pollution, waste, and vanishing local skills - and flips the script.
Instead of hauling in materials from across the globe, the exhibition champions homegrown, low-impact solutions. Sixteen standout projects from all over Spain take centre stage, each built using smart, sustainable techniques - think wood from Cantabria, earth walls from Catalunya, and emissions-cutting hacks from the Balearics. Five themed zones - Materials, Energy, Labour, Waste, and Emissions - drive the message home.
GREEN REBUILD: Local materials were used to bring this ruined barn back from the dead in a sustainable way
HOMEBUYERS in Spain are being completely ripped off when it comes to property taxes.
Purchasers pay a shocking third of a property’s purchase on extra costsby far the highest in Europe.
According to a report by the Institute of Economic Studies (IEE), they pay an effective tax rate of 30.3% when purchasing a home.
This is almost five times the European average of 6.5% and second only to Canada across the OECD western world nations.
Up to a quarter of the home’s final price is attributed to taxes alone, while further costs go in conveyancing and agent’s fees.
Tax bombshell
By Tom Ewart Smith
IEE President Iñigo Fernandez de Mesa called the situation ‘surprising’, noting that housing - a basic necessity - is ‘so severely penalised’.
The think tank warns the heavy tax load is widening the gap between supply and demand and making it increasingly difficult for Spaniards to
access affordable housing. But it is unlikely the government will want to change things with Spain’s housing-related taxes generating around €52.2 billion annually, or 3.5% of the country’s GDP.
Property Tax (IBI) makes up nearly 30% of the total, followed by VAT and income tax. The Property Transfer Tax (ITP) stands at 11%, among the highest in Europe, while capital gains tax on
sales can reach 30% - almost double the EU average.
Regional disparities are stark, however, with the Balearic Islands levy up to 13% ITP on new builds, compared to 6% in Madrid.
The IEE lauds Madrid’s approach as a model of fiscal competitiveness.
The think tank also warns Spain needs 2.2 million new homes by 2040, requiring €380 billion in investment - far beyond the public sector’s reach.
It is urging sweeping tax reforms, including cuts to transaction and property taxes, incentives for landlords, and a reduced VAT rate on renovations to ease the housing squeeze.
Spain’s pavilion at the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale.
Iglesia de San Esteban, Salamanca
Salamanca’s Iglesia de San Esteban presents a towering facade, a grand and religiously significant example of Plateresque architecture. Carved from sandstone, its intricate details cover the surface, creating a visually impressive display. rative motifs. This monumental church facade stands as a testament to the artistic
Salamanca’s Casa de las Conchas presents a unique facade, instantly recognisable for its distinctive shell-covered exterior. This curious and eye-catching design creates a textured surface, studded with hundreds of sandstone shells. Delicate ironwork details around the windows further enhance its ornamental character. Blending Gothic and Renaissance influences within the Plateresque style, this urban palace offers a fascinating and memorable example of Spanish architectural individuality.
November 29thDecember 12th 2023 LOOKING FOR
SILVER LINING
SILVERWORK is delicate and it’s all about detail, so when an exclusively Spanish style of architecture flourished in the time of Cervantes and Philip II, it earned the nickname ‘silver smithery’. It’s now known today as the ‘Plateresque’ style.
Plateresque was an artistic movement, especially architectural, developed in Spain, between the late Gothic and early Renaissance periods in the late 15th century.
It carried on spreading for the next two hundred years, bringing joyful details to hundreds of grand buildings around the Iberian peninsula.
In architectural terms, Plateresque takes on from the Gothic style and is a heady blend of Mudejar and Flamboyant architecture with a touch of the Tuscan Renaissance movement.
Adorning some of Spain’s most celebrated buildings, it reached its apex during the reign of Charles V, with its epicentre in Salamanca.
However, it also flourished in many other Spanish cities and towns including Casares, Burgos, and Santiago de Compostela.
You can spot a Plateresque building from the ornate floral designs on its facades, as well as internal items such as its chandeliers, roofs and altars.
Above all, it was an artistic movement that responded to the demands of the ruling classes of the time.
It was a time of great optimism and wealth, coming as the Reconquest
Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso, Alcala de Henares
Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso showcases the grandeur of Plateresque design with its imposing facade. A layered structure, incorporating brickwork and arched elements, exudes classical elegance and historical importance. Intricate detailing frames windows and doorways, while heraldic symbols and sculpted ornamentation add to its dignified appearance. This monumental facade reflects the prestige of this significant university and refined artistic sensibilities.
The ornate Plateresque style flourished during Spain’s Golden Age, leaving a legacy of intricate facades
By Michael Coy
against the Moors was completed - in Granada in 1492 - and the colonisation of the Caribbean and the Americas was beginning, led by Christopher Columbus.
The Spanish were rapidly acquiring wealth and power - as the gold and silver began to flow from the New World - and this was reflected in the money spent on a series of new grand buildings.
The decoration, at its best on the facades, featured motifs of plants, as well as shields, medallions and even animals and insects.
You could often tell the owner of the building from the types of decoration, be they military shields for soldiers or laurels for lawyers.
And when we think of the word ‘ideals’, we need to pause and think.
The owners and builders of these structures wanted to ‘send a message’.
In an age when passers-by in the street were illiterate and clueless about aesthetics, the way to impose a sense of power and authority over them could be conveyed in the building’s look.
the
ping down their power. It didn’t matter the extraordinary cost of creating wonderful ornate stone forms on their buildings. They had the money and they wanted to spend it.
Here, the Olive Press picks its favourite Top seven Platareque masterpieces
Forget
concept of form following function, the wealthy aristocrats and conquistadores of Spain’s golden age were stam-
Convent of San Marcos, Leon
The Convent of San Marcos boasts a grandiose facade, an expansive and elaborate display of Plateresque artistry. Its symmetrical design features intricate sculpted details flowing across the sandstone surface. This
University of Salamanca
Salamanca’s university features a majestic sandstone facade, a testament to the Plateresque style. Intricate carvings depict a wealth of detail, blending Gothic and Renaissance motifs harmoniously. Figurative sculptures and heraldic symbols adorn the surface, conveying academic prestige and historical significance. Delicate ornamentation, like sculpted silver, makes this facade a captivating example of Spanish architectural artistry.
monumental structure exudes a regal and dignified presence, reflecting the power and wealth of the era. Refined ornamentation and impressive scale make it a significant cultural and artistic landmark in Spain.
Hospital Real, Santiago de Compostela
Santiago’s Hospital Real - today the parador hotel - features an imposing and symmetrical facade, exemplifying the grand scale often associated with Plateresque architecture. Detailed ornamentation and sculpted elements reflect Renaissance ideals embraced by the style. This historical building, once a royal hospital, now a parador, stands as a majestic and dignified landmark, showcasing intricate craftsmanship and artistic sophistication.
Ayuntamiento
Sevilla’s town hall boasts a grand facade, a civic example of the Plateresque style, conveying historical authority and governmental importance. Its ornate detailing and sculpted elements are characteristic of the period, reflecting the city’s wealth and power. Intricate ornamentation frames the building’s entrances and windows, creating an impressive and striking visual statement within Sevilla’s urban landscape.
www.themallorcadeal.com
A BRITISH entrepreneur has been revealed as the owner behind Spain’s most expensive home.
Joe Ricotta is selling a spectacular Marbella mansion, Villa Bellagio, priced at an eye-watering €70 million.
The British businessman is best known for founding one of the UK’s leading refrigerated logistics companies.
A friend to celebrities including Rob-
Bella villa with a scary €70m price tag
ert de Niro, Michael McIntyre and Tyson Fury, he sold the business for a reported €52.5 million in 2015. Since exiting the logistics world, he has turned his attention to luxury property development in Spain, Italy and the UK - with this Marbella jewel his most extraordinary venture yet.
Villa Bellagio spans an extraordinary 5,600 square metres in size built on a vast 14,000 square metre plot - the largest in the Sierra Blanca.
Designed by renowned architect Jesus del Valle it has incredible panoramic views
Tenants tell all
A NEW app is giving renters the power to share honest reviews and uncover the hidden truths about potential homes.
Launched last year by the Barcelona Institute for Urban Research, Reviu lets tenants post experiences and read reviews of properties, neighbourhoods, and landlords.
Co-founder Jaime Palomera says the app could soon act like Booking.com - offering listings, reviews, and bookings.
“We want to bring transparency to an opaque rental market and reward fair practices,” he said.
The platform, already live in Barcelona, will expand across Catalunya in the coming weeks, with national rollout to follow. Users can now search by neighbourhood or agency - an upgrade from the previous address-only system.
Reactions have been largely positive, despite some estate agent concerns.
of the Mediterranean, plus a 22-metre infinity pool melt-
ing into the horizon. It counts on 13 luxurious bedrooms, including eight 50 m2 suites on the upper floors, all dripping in opulence and space.
However, it is the lower level that truly sets Villa Bellagio apart.
Described as resembling a private wellness resort, it features a fully equipped spa, heated indoor swimming pool, Turkish hammam, Finnish
sauna, massage rooms, and even a professional hair and beauty salon.
Fitness enthusiasts will find a stateof-the-art gym, while entertainment seekers can enjoy a double bowling alley, billiards lounge, stylish bar, and a private cinema that seats 22. For automotive fanatics, Villa Bellagio
FOREIGN INVASION
FOREIGNERS make up 23% of Malaga province - with Brits high in the rankings.
Some 414,316 out of 1.7 million residents are born abroad, according to official Spanish statistics.
with pals including Boris Johnson, Arnold Schwartzenegger and John Travolta.
It makes Malaga the province with the fifth highest number of foreign residents, following Madrid, Barcelona, Alicante and Valencia.
By Yzabelle Bostyn
A third of the province’s towns (35) have more than 20% foreign residents.
And Benahavis tops the list with the highest percentage of residents (64%) being foreign
However, the proportion of inhabitants born outside of the country is larger in other areas such as Almeria and Tenerife (24%), as well as Girona, the Balearic Islands and Alicante (26 to 27%).
Benahavis: Wealthiest and most foreign town in Andalucia
New stats from Spain's National Statistics Institute reveal that more than 60% of Benahavis’ 9,256 residents were born outside Spain, mostly from other EU countries.
They account for 5,919 of its 9,265 inhabitants with Brits the largest number.
They make up 1,388 of the population, followed by Russians (556).
And most of them are comfortably well off when it comes to income - the average resident earns more than €40,000 a year.
A DERELICT school has been transformed into eco-friendly housing for residents over 65, setting a new benchmark in sustainable design. H Arquitectes led the project, reusing local mares stone from the demolished building to create structural blocks - cutting waste and carbon emissions. The 25 compact flats feature cross-ventilation, thermal massing, and private outdoor space. Communal areas include a rooftop garden, laundry, and lounges. Stones from the early 20th-century school were broken down and cast in concrete, forming a strong new material. MAC Insular, a private recycling firm, processed over 1,000 tonnes of demolition waste, reusing 95%. Despite some use of cement, the project is seen as a success in ‘urban mining’, showing that quality, lowcost housing can be both functional and sustainable.
It is followed by Fuengirola, with 44.6% foreign residents, mostly made up of Finns and Brits.
Competa meanwhile sees 44% of its residents born abroad while in the village of Sayalonga, 700 of its 1,624 residents are foreigners.
In Manilva and Torrox, the proportion of foreign residents is 40%, with most coming from Britain, Germany and Morocco. Meanwhile in Marbella, around 60,800 of the city’s 159,054 population were born abroad, accounting for 37%.
The biggest community hails from Morocco, followed by Colombia, Argentina, Britain, Ukraine and Russia.
In Mijas, over a third of the town’s 92,211 local residents are foreign (34,700), with mostly Brits (7,193), Moroccans (3,617) and Argentinians (3,208). Some 34% of Nerja was born outside of Spain, with Brits leading the way followed by Argentinians.
Similarly, Brits are the biggest foreign population in Alhaurin el Grande (2,279) and Coin (1,700).
On the lower end of the scale, just 15% of the population of Velez-Malaga and Malaga capital are from overseas, with most hailing from Latin America.
Andalucia.
municipality with
highest proportion of foreign residents in Malaga province.
offers a showroom garage capable of displaying 12 vehicles - with an underground facility providing parking for an additional 30 cars.
Ricotta, who owns website marbella. co.uk, is often pictured mingling
The villa is on sale for €70 million and is owned by Joe Ricotta (left, with Robert De Niro)
High Mountain owned 99% of 29 separate Gibraltar companies, with the re maining 1% held by Groove Limited, itself owned largely by Hiba Development SA. This complex ownership structure, facil itated by the Marrache brothers, Isaac and Benjamin - who were later jailed for fraud - was designed to obscure the Assad family’s involvement.
Through these offshore channels, millions of euros flowed into Spain to purchase property and business interests, effectively laundering Syrian national wealth, as well as alleged profits from drug smuggling, extortion, and the trafficking of archaeological treasures.
But in 2017 his Marbella property empire came crashing down when Magistrate Jose de la Mata ordered the confiscation of 503 properties including holiday homes, car parks, luxury apartments and rural estates worth €700 million.
Authorities also seized an estate with a market value of €60 million in Puerto Banus, and froze dozens of bank accounts.
Trial and evasion
While the trial in Spain targets eight individuals, including Rifaat’s sons and other family members, the patriarch himself is notably absent. His lawyers claim the now 87-year-old is hospitalised in Dubai, too ill to attend court.
demands near-poetic English from many new arrivals, there are pensioners in Alicante who believe ‘hola’ is something you say when answering the phone. Still, the double standards are rarely noticed by those enjoying roast dinners in 30-degree heat, surrounded by satellite dishes beaming in Coronation Street.
They are, after all, ‘living the dream’ - just not the local one.
So while the UK gears up to enforce B2-level English from newcomers, Spaniards are laughing into their ‘jarras de cerveza’ at the irony.
And somewhere in Benidorm, a British bar is already preparing its summer menu… in Comic Sans. In English. Naturally. ¡Viva la diferencia! Or should we say, long live the... difference-o?
Our pledge, our appeal AND help us to win more media awards!
AS we approach our 20th year in Spain we would like to explain a few things.
The Olive Press is an award-winning newspaper covering the entire Iberian Peninsula with a team of NCTJ-trained journalists.
Set up to campaign and represent expats based here, it has now become the country’s Number One website for anyone interested in Spain.
Covering everything first hand on the ground from the recent power blackout to the Valencia floods and from the Catalunya independence riots to the Europa League final between Manchester United and Spurs this week.
Despite this, prosecu tors are pressing for a sentence of eight years and a fine of €2.7 million against Rifaat, along with six years and €2.2 million fines for each of his relatives.
The defense has challenged the trial’s jurisdiction, demanding the case be moved to Malaga’s provincial court. Proceedings were suspended earlier this month, sent back to Marbella court to pend a judicial review. An Olive Press source revealed: “I understand this might take a year.”
The Gibraltar connection
A key part of the investigation is focused on Gibraltar, where Rifaat’s business dealings flourished for decades. One of the most controversial aspects involves his sale of a prestigious property at 6-9 Europort, an office complex in the heart of Gibraltar’s financial district.
In 2018, Rifaat sold his stake in the building for £17.5 million - a figure critics argue was well below market value.
What raised eyebrows wasn’t just the price, but the identity of the buyers: a company linked to the Isola family, including Gibraltar’s Financial Services Minister, Albert Isola.
The deal was facilitated by Fiduciary, a firm partly owned by the Isolas, who also managed Rifaat’s sale.
This led to allegations of conflicts of interest and prompted opposition parties in Gibraltar to demand full transparency.
Isola has always denied any wrongdoing.
Independent MP Marlene Hassan Nahon
accused the government of ‘burying the case under layers of legal jargon’, and called for a public explanation.
The opposition GSD party also called on the Attorney General to investigate whether any proceeds from the sale were frozen or distributed to Assad’s family.
Despite public pressure, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo defended the legality of the sale, stating that Gibraltar courts had approved it and they were cooperating fully with French investigators.
A matter of conscience
The Rifaat al-Assad case is not just about financial crimes - it’s about moral accountability. How could a man accused of mass murder and corruption build a property empire in democratic Europe?
Why were alarm bells not raised sooner, especially when Interpol warrants and international sanctions were in play?
Furthermore, the controversy has implications for Gibraltar and Spain’s financial credibility. With increasing global scrutiny on tax havens and offshore financial centers, the Assad case serves as a cautionary tale.
As Anonymous, hackers targeted Gibraltar’s government website shortly after the Europort sale was publicised, the symbolism wasn’t lost - this is a story about transparency, ethics, and the thin line between legality and complicity.
Looking ahead
Spanish prosecutors are expected to push ahead with asset seizures and verdicts later in 2025.
Whether Rifaat al-Assad will ever face justice in person remains unclear, but his family’s alleged financial web is rapidly unraveling.
In the end, the case is about more than one man. It is a story of how wealth stolen from a devastated nation found a safe haven in Europe’s sunny enclaves, shielded by legal structures, financial institutions, and at times, political silence. The outcome of the trial will not only affect the Assad family but could set a precedent for how Europe handles dirty money, offshore finance, and the legacy of authoritarian regimes hiding their loot in plain sight.
Investigating everything from crime to corruption and politics to paedophile networks, we have a long track record of success.
Apart from locating three of the UK’s Most Wanted criminals, we have helped to expose dozens of frauds and scams.
This year alone, we’ve covered the collapse of Iberian Funeral Plans and followed the long-running Continental Wealth Management case, which finally saw its boss sent to prison. We were at the recent anti-tourist protests and haven’t let up on stories that matter.
Our hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed. This year, Olive Press journalist Yzabelle Bostyn (above) was named Trainee Journalist of the Year in a fiercely competitive British media award, beating candidates from The Times and Express & Star. She joined us two years ago and, through mentoring from News Editor Dilip Kuner (ex-Sunday Mirror), Digital Editor Walter Finch (ex-Daily Mail) and Editor Jon Clarke (ex-Mail on Sunday), blossomed into a sharp, passionate investigative journalist.
We’re especially proud of her continued work on our long-running campaign against the dangerous drug Nolotil. Since we first reported on it in 2016, we’ve published over 60 stories, and thanks to Yzzy’s dedication, regulation is finally tightening - and expats are learning to steer clear.
Over the past two decades, we’ve trained many other exceptional journalists. Russian-born Anatoly Kumanaev recently had a New York Times front page; others have gone on to ITN and to win awards in documentary filmmaking, like Laura Balfour.
As we expand into Madrid and Barcelona, we’re committed to training even more. But here’s the thing - we need your help.
The Olive Press is a not-for-profit company. All profits are reinvested into journalism and investigations. Despite our huge growth - over 1,000% online since 2023, with seven million annual visitors - Google and Meta swallow most of the ad revenue. The pennies we earn from banners and videos barely cover basics.
So we’re asking for something small - less than one euro a week.
Your support helps train new journalists, keeps our stories flowing, and ensures we can keep investigating, informing, and campaigning - without drowning in pop-ups or selling out to clickbait.
It’s really so simple.
Scan the QR code, for an annual special deal, and join the growing independent media group that offers so much more than anyone else in the Iberian Peninsula in English. No OP, No comment
Healthier stays
SPAIN'S government will impose minimum standards for healthy menus in hospitals and nursing homes.
A royal decree is being prepared to guarantee healthy and nutritious food is served to patients and elderly residents.
Social Rights Minister, Pablo Bustinduy, said the state regulation will follow the pat-
tern of one approved last month for schools. “Menus will be based on dietary recommendations in regard to healthy and sustainable eating, for all age groups and adjusting to different contexts,” Bustinduy stated. He added that he was responding to ‘many complaints’ made by citizens and groups about deficiencies found in some centres.
TB CASH PLEA
SPANISH scientists have created a new, more effective vaccine against tuberculosis, the world’s most lethal illness - but they need €20 million to finish their life saving research.
Professor Carlos Martín, a microbiologist at the University of Zaragoza, has led the research for over 25 years. The new vaccine, MTBVAC, is hoped to be ready for global use by 2029, pending final clinical trials on adults and children. Funded in part by Spanish pharmaceutical firm Biofabri, the vaccine could be a game-changer, offering over 50% more protection than the century-old BCG jab. Unlike BCG, which is less ef-
Life-saving vaccine research needs rescuing
By Yzabelle Bostyn
fective against pulmonary TB, MTBVAC targets the most dangerous strains and can be distributed as a single refrigerated dose - ideal for rural regions. However, researchers are struggling to raise enough money to develop a version suitable for infants. “The EU funded half our baby project; we need the rest,” said Martín, who is now appealing to charities rather than private investors to avoid
LIGHT RELIEF
A BARCELONA-based research centre, Leitat, is exploring how light can be used to detect diseases and support innovation across industries like healthcare and biomedicine. Based in the DFactory, the lab uses photonics - light-based technology - to enhance scientific and industrial efficiency.
BREAKTHROUGH:
Spanish scientists develop new TB vaccine
market speculation and profiteering.
The vaccine will be manufactured in Spain, India and Brazil,
One highlight is the PANACEA project, which developed an optical sensor that detects and measures legal drug levels in saliva using light biomarkers.
Visitors can view the sensor at DFactory Barcelona. Leitat also applies hyperspectral vision and optical simulation to analyse the chemical composition of objects, enabling detection of contaminants and hydration levels in food or skin.
OP QUICK CROSSWORD
Across 7 Act honourably (4,3,4) 8 Prophet (4) 9 Replied (8) 10 Swiss gnomes’ home? (6) 12 Tony, Emmy and Oscar (6) 14 Gold, silver and bronze (6) 16 Like Romeo and Juliet (2,4) 17 Widespread outbreak (8) 19 Tablet (4) 20 Romulus nips out, more or less (4,2,5)
1 “Dr. Livingstone, ---?” (1,7)
Animal’s den (4) 3 Join (6)
Old Iran (6) 5 US national sport (8) 6 “Father of Modern Philosophy” --- Descartes (4) 11 --- man, a periodical prisoner (2-3-3) 13 Extremely hard (8) 15 Biblical strongman (6) 16 No mice chewed over what you make (6) 18 Tube carrying a fluid (4)
19 Four noggins (4)
with a focus on affordable distribution to low and middle-income countries where more than a million people die of TB annually.
Speaking at a recent Multi-Sector Plan Against Tuberculosis meeting, Martin and Biofabri CEO Esteban Rodríguez said they remained optimistic - but warned the full impact of the vaccine may not be clear for another 20 years.
Boozy trial
A NEW study in Spain is inviting thousands of volunteers to help determine whether drinking a glass of wine a day is actually good for your health.
The University of Navarra Alumni Trialist Initiative (UNATI) is leading the research, which will track 10,000 people aged 50 to 75 over the next four years.
The aim is to measure the impact of daily wine, beer, or spirits on rates of heart disease, cancer, mental health disorders, and overall mortality. So far, 6,500 participants have signed up, with organisers now urging for another 3,500 volunteers before June.
Participants must live in Spain, be men aged 50-70 or women aged 55-75, and already consume at least three alcoholic drinks per week. Those who are teetotal or have health conditions that make drinking unsafe cannot take part.
AUTISMO España and Spain’s Ministry of Youth and Children have signed an agreement to prevent bullying and cyberbullying of children with autism.
President Pedro Ugarte highlighted that 71% of autistic children have faced bullying due to exclusion, calling it a serious threat to their well-being. The agreement aims to improve detection, promote inclusive childhoods, and support mental health.
Minister Sira Rego emphasized equal opportunities and inclusion for all minors. New platforms for conflict resolution will also be developed to foster a more just, accessible, and supportive society for children with autism.
BUSINESS
Alcampo cuts
THE French-owned Alcampo supermarket and hypermarket chain is shutting 25 stores in Spain after sales fell slightly last year.
The company said that a maximum of 710 employees would be affected.
The closures will revolve around its supermarkets and are likely to include some bought in 2023 from Dia when Alcampo acquired 235 outlets.
The company described some of them as unprofitable or in ‘poor’ locations.
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Spam ban on way
Days of answering calls to telephone sales could soon be a thing of the past
SPAIN’S government wants to ban companies from making spam calls to potential customers.
An amendment to the Consumer Care Services Act would force landline and mobile phone providers to block such calls from firms that don’t use a specific phone prefix, which people could identi -
CLOSE ENCOUNTER
A SPANISH start-up company will design and build a satellite to land on an asteroid that will fly close to Earth in 2029.
The Elche firm Emxys has been chosen by the European Space Agency to construct the Cubesat satellite. It will be released by the Ramses spacecraft a few kilometres away from the Apophis asteroid.
Cubesat hopes to glean important information about the structure and dynamics of a near-Earth asteroid to help plan future planetary defence missions.
ON July 9, 2021, I sat through a grueling six-hour exam in a stuffy hotel conference room in central Madrid.
My 29 fellow examinees were all called Francisco or Javier and came from all corners of the peninsula. My name is Peter.
That’s the day I qualified to become one of just 1,015 European Financial Planners (EFPs) now officially registered in Spain. It may come as a surprise, but in that entire list, you’ll find only three of us with foreign names: Milenka Ivanova, Zhanna Fenenko, and me, Peter Dougherty.
The three of us make up a mere 0.29% of the EFPs, the highest accreditation of the European Financial Planning Association of Spain (EFPA España).
My finance credentials don’t end there.
I also hold two master’s degrees – one in taxation in Spain and an MBA in finance in America, and worked for two decades at a trio of well-known investment banks on Wall Street.
I have also written two books explaining cross border financial issues between Spain and the US, one in English, the other in Spanish.
Yet, despite my extensive training in the field of finance, Spain’s financial sector remains unique and elusive to me.
Unique
How do we explain the stark contrast between the number of financial planners in Spain, on the one hand, and in the UK and the US on the other?
1,015 is a small number. Financial planners registered in the UK – counting Chartered Financial Planners, DipPFS, and Certified Financial Planners – total more than 43,000. While in the US, the number of Certified Financial Planners (CFP®) alone now exceeds 100,000.
One reason may be the head-start that both the US and the UK have had over Spain in
By Alex Trelinski
fy in advance.
An irony is that many current spam calls tend to come from telecoms companies.
Consumer Affairs minister, Pablo Bustinduy, said “Blocking unsolicited commercial calls would
protect the well-being and privacy of consumers.”
Commercial calls would be identified with ‘a specific code, a dedicated prefix’, according to Bustinduy.
“Phone companies would block calls from any firm not having a code,” he added.
A telecoms law passed in 2023 placed restrictions on spam calls but firms have looked at loopholes, including people having given consent by accepting cookies on a website, or an ex-customer that has not asked for their data to be removed.
Bustinduy also wants to void any contract resulting from spam calls and to oblige companies to renew consumer consent for commercial calls every two years.
“We want to discourage this business model and make companies stop engaging in these practices that cause so much bother to citizens,” the minister said.
Unsolicited
According to a 2023 study carried out in 39 countries by US security company Hiya, 42% of calls in Spain in the third quarter of that year were unsolicited - the second-highest percentage in Europe.
Bustinduy said the measures would be introduced via amendments to a consumer rights bill to be debated in Congress over the next few weeks. He suggested that everything could be approved ‘before the summer’.
SPAIN IS DIFFERENT
In a brand new money column, Pete Dougherty explains that, despite being one of just three officially regulated foreign financial planners, investing and saving in Spain is unique and elusive, like walking a tightrope
Pete Dougherty
• MBA in finance
• MS in Spanish taxation
• BS in economics
• European Financial Planner in Spain
• Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor® in U.S.
• Author of two financial planning books
the financial planning field.
EFPA España certified its first EFPs in 2010, 38 years after America’s first CFP® recipients (1972) and 15 years after the first CFP® holders in the UK (1995).
Another possible explanation is that compared with its English-speaking expats, Spaniards typically do not discuss money. Often not even with close friends or family. It’s a cultural difference, one of the many that sometimes make living in Spain as a British or American expat both refreshing and frustrating at the same time.
Can you imagine the difficulty of being a Spanish financial planner working in a country where the culture of your compatriots is to not talk about money?
How do you even start conversations with
prospective clients?
Still others believe the answer lies in how Spain’s financial infrastructure has evolved.
To prepare for Spain’s entry into the European Union in the 1980’s, several Spanish banks consolidated and merged in an attempt to gain equal footing with the larger size and sophistication of their European rivals.
Later, they were able to grow in a way many rival banks couldn’t: by expanding in Latin America, where Spanish banks share a common language and culture.
The financial crisis of 2008 produced another strong wave of Spanish bank consolidations. Currently, the three largest banks (Santander, BBVA and CaixaBank) are what remains of what had been 29 separate banks or ‘savings’ banks at the start of 2008.
All of which puts decision-making in the hands of a few very big banks. And to date not one of these large banks has yet embraced financial planning in a meaningful way.
Elusive
As an expat, if we ask any three ‘experts’ the same question in Spain, we’re likely to hear four different answers.
That may be because far more ‘grey area’open to legal interpretation - exists in Span -
Pay gaps
JUST seven of the top 100 highest-paid board members of Spanish companies are women, according to a new report. This includes Ana Botín on the board of Santander and Logista’s María Echenique. Botín also has a retirement fund valued at €54.73 million.
It comes as Spain has prided itself on the world stage as a European leader in its attempt to address gender equality and pay discrimination.
However the executive pay gap is also an issue –directors of Ibex 35 earn a salary 79 times higher than their average employees, a figure which has hardly changed in the last five years.
Lifetimes
It means that, even in two lifetimes with 72 years of work, the employees would not earn what their bosses earn for one year of work.
The CEO of Spanish security system company Prosegur earned €5.05 million in 2024, an income 361 times greater than what an average company employee there earns at €14,000 per year. It’s Spain’s company with the highest wage gap.
ish rules and laws than in the UK or the US.
Or it may be because Spanish law doesn’t explicitly address cross border financial or other circumstances that may arise.
The theory to explain this that I like best, though, is that Spain’s long-running tourism slogan was right all along.
‘Spain is Different’ it boldly claimed. They were certainly right.
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
YOP Puzzle solutions
Quick Crossword
Across: 7 Play the game, 8 Seer, 9 Answered, 10 Zurich, 12 Awards, 14 Medals, 16 In love, 17 Epidemic, 19 Pill, 20 Plus or minus.
OU don’t really know a city until you’ve eaten your way through it.
Palma, Mallorca’s buzzing capital, isn’t just a feast for the eyes with its Gothic spires and sea-salted breezes - it’s a place where every bite tells a story.
But like any city with a fast-moving culinary scene, finding the right places means digging deeper than TripAdvisor ratings.
That’s where the locals come in. Or in this case, two well-travelled expats - one Dutch, one German - who’ve swapped global festival planning for something far more delicious: curating immersive food tours that connect visitors directly with the heart of Palma’s kitchens.
mercial circuit.
The result is Food Tours Mallorca a clever self-guided experience powered by a mobile web app that doesn’t require downloading anything.
Just bring your phone, your appetite, and a decent internet signal - and let the city serve itself to you, one delicious stop at a time.
As if by magic a white tin plate was thrust in front of us with some melt-inthe-mouth croquettes
Rather than following a script or handing out bland brochures, they spent three years eating, talking, testing, and refining - building relationships with chefs, bakers, and bartenders, and crafting a tour that feels more like a series of personal invitations than
Our journey began at Plaça del Mercat, a historic square that’s been a marketplace since Moorish times.
The app, with its intuitive map, shared the story of the square - founded in 1302 by King Jaume II - before directing us to one of Palma’s oldest bakeries.
The Forn del Teatre had been baking breads and pastries by hand for nearly a century until it was lovingly revived in 2010 by local food hero Tomeu Arbona.
Now known as Fornet de la Soca, the bakery proudly displays vintage pans and baking trays alongside photos of its former owners - tributes to Mallorca’s culinary traditions.
courses, the pastries were irresistible. I splurged on an empanada filled with red pepper and pork - worth ev ery bit of the €4.50.
Our first official stop was a vermuteria called La Rosa, a hidden gem up a side al ley buzzing with life even at 5:15pm.
“We get the tourists in early and the Spaniards finishing late lunches,” laughed man ager Carlos Fabiani, who’s opening a second location nearby.
With the hum of jazz and the relief of overhead fans, we perused the idea of bravas or oysters - until remember ing that all food selections were pre-set. All we had to do was choose a drink and enjoy the ride.
A much-loved local tapas haunt, La Rosa is filled with vintage photos and specializes in gourmet tinned delicacies, jamon iberico, and of course, vermouth.
They offer over a dozen varieties, including their house-made blend featuring six-plus local herbs - cardamom, rosemary, and orange peel among them - hand-foraged by owner Nacho Velasco from the nearby hills.
Although not technically one of our four
As if conjured, a white tin plate landed before us, piled with melt-in-your-mouth croquettes (two kinds) and anchovies with an ensaladilla kyiv. Tempting as it was to
GRANDEUR: The amazing bulls cheek dish matched the glamour of Xalest, while (below) the fun began at La Rosa with its friendly staff and vermouth
FUN: the donut pudding and chocolate surprise (below) at Arlequín left us in a good mood, while (right) a warm welcome at Cantina Panza
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
Jon Clarke takes an exciting tasting tour through the heart of Palma
fish sauce, finished with chives.
There we met Michelle, one of the co-founders of the tour, a warm and enthusiastic Dutch woman who shared how they’d built the concept.
linger, we pressed on - our map leading us to La Rambla.
Once the path of a local river, the leafy avenue was rerouted in 1403 after a devastating flood that claimed thousands of lives.
Now shaded and serene, the boulevard led us to what looked like a literal hole in the wall.
Cantina Panza is housed in an old merchant’s home, a winding warren of rooms with a tiny kitchen anchoring one end.
Unassuming in appearance but deeply atmospheric, the space focuses entirely on the food, crafted by two chefs - one being Fernando Arellano of two Michelin stars.
His partner, Argentinian chef Javier Gardonio, described their approach as ‘cooking from memory’, blending Spanish roots with French technique. He grinned as he presented a standout dish: scallops stuffed with braised octopus in a rich
Tours begin at 1pm and 5pm to suit both lunch and early dinner crowds, and the routes rotate to work around restaurant hours, boosting business during quieter times.
Being foodies themselves, they realised they were always discovering new places and chatting with chefs - why not turn that passion into curated tasting experiences?
And once guests had sampled these gems, the hope was they’d return for a full meal later in their trip.
Now a five-star hotel, Concepció by Nobis, it’s home to the restaurant Xalest - which fittingly means ‘in a good mood’.
Our main course? Pig’s cheeks (carrillera) served with corn purée, demi-glace, and crisp tortillas - comforting and beautifully spiced.
Restaurant manager Ali, originally from Casablanca, described the concept as ‘KM-zero Mediterranean fusion’ using hyper-local ingredients. Chef Xema Alvarez, who won Palma’s prestigious TaPalma award and previously ran Catalina la Fina (a casualty of COVID), helms the kitchen.
Our final stop: Arlequin, a whimsical spot inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Here, dessert arrived inside a red gift box alongside a towering donut creation.
BRAND NEW TOUR: Discover Palma’s
WHY not step into Santa Catalina, Palma’s vibrant, bohemian neighbourhood known for its lively terraces, colourful streets, and buzzing local food scene.
A recently launched self-guided Wine & Dine food tour lets you taste the area’s best, with four handpicked restaurants, signature dishes, and perfect drink pairings.
A frisson of curiosity pulsed through the evening. What’s next? More traditional or ultra-modern? Could each stop keep topping the last?
Ideal for couples, families, or anyone wanting a sure bet instead of a risky restaurant choice for their big night out, the tour kept delivering.
Next, we wandered into what seemed an average stone building on a nondescript street - only to discover a stunning 15th-century palace.
My colleague Charlie beamed over a decadent chocolate treat, while I devoured caramel cream-filled donuts garnished with raspberries. Cocktails followed, capping the evening in style.
The tour, priced at €130 for two, departs multiple times daily and offers an unforgettable way to taste the city.
For more information, visit: www. foodtoursmallorca.com
All without the stress of choosing where to go and with Food Tour Mallorca’s exclusive web app guiding you.
It means you’re free to explore, eat, and sip at your own pace. As they say ‘no guide, no groups, no guesswork’
You will be guided to:
● 4 top local restaurants, selected by locals
● Get a Signature dish + paired drink at every stop
● No decision stress, no guide, all pre-paid and curated
● Start location: Santa Catalina, Palma. 17.00h – 21.00h
● Bookable Monday – Saturday, up to 24h in advance
BOHEMIAN: Take a stroll through the streets of Santa Catalina and enjoy the best of local cuisine
Lazarus plant
AN ‘extinct’ plant has been found alive and well in Andalucia’s Sierra Morena park. Dubbed ‘nomeves’Spanish for ‘you can’t see me’ - over 100 of the plants have been found.
Touchdown!
SPAIN will host its first NFL American football game on November 16, as the Miami Dolphins face the Washington Commanders at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium in a historic International Series clash.
Legal backing
SUPREME Court judge Jose Antonio Montero has criticised the tax agency’s conduct, backing expats’ claims of unfair targeting under the Beckham Law and calling fiscal penalties excessive.
The madcap English rush to get to Spain for Spurs v Manchester United in Bilbao – and avoid the price gouging
ENGLISH football fans descended on Spain - and even Portugal and France - in chaotic fashion for this week’s all-Premier League Europa League final in Bilbao. With direct flights to the Basque city costing upwards of €600 one way, fans of Spurs and Man chester United resorted to creative, often convoluted travel plans. Some flew into cities like Valencia, Faro, and Malaga before con necting onwards, often via multiple legs. Return flights from Manchester were hitting €1,400. At least a quarter of those on a Monday
By Jon Clarke in Bilbao
morning Malaga-Bilbao flight were heading to the match (won by Spurs) . “I’ve had two flights this morning,” said Pete Jones, 24, a Spurs fan from Essex. “It was the only vaguely affordable way.” Others flew to Biarritz or Nice and drove five hours to reach Bilbao. Manchester United fan Leo Doran flew to Malaga on Sunday and will return via Tenerife. “It was only 50 quid - and we get a night out in Tenerife,” he said.
The Mummy returns
PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES
Accommodation was another battle. Even basic hotels were charging over €1,000 per night. A two-star hotel hit €2,138 for two nights; a four-star soared to €3,665. Some fans stayed as far as Santander, returning to Bilbao just for the game. Up to 25,000 fans were expected to arrive without tickets. Official allocations were limited to
15,000 per club, while 20,000 were set aside for UEFA and sponsors. Ticket prices online soared from €40 to up to €2,000. This game not only promised Champions League qualification - it also marked the first European final between two sides in the Premier League’s bottom quarter.
CROWDS are flocking to see the jaw-dropping remains of St Teresa of Avila, whose 440-year-old corpse has gone on display in Spain for the first time in over a century. The 16th-century nun, mystic, and reformer may have died in 1582, but parts of her body, including her face, foot, heart, hand, and arm, are still well preserved. Experts are calling it nothing short of miraculous, with skin and muscles still intact after four centuries. Unveiled at the Basilica of Alba de Tormes, the display has left visitors stunned. Her remains revealed health struggles like painful foot spurs from endless walking in devotion.
TWO nude German tourists, 23 and 27, shocked Murcia drivers by performing wild sex acts beside a van near Nueva Condominia. One used a sex toy while the other filmed - all in plain sight. When cops rocked up, the randy pair sped off down the A-7, sparking a wild chase. Four patrol cars boxed them in, but the saucy fugitives kicked off, resisting arrest.
Discover Leonardo Boutique Hotel Mallorca Port Portals - Adults Only, a 4-star superior hotel located right next to one of the most luxurious marinas of the Mediterranean: Port Portals.
Choose from one of our 77 unique rooms, all of them with great amenities and spectacular views, and enjoy a cocktail in the hotel’s Sky Bar or cool down on a Balinese bed by the pool. Come join us!
