Date Published: 28/01/2022

Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin Jan 29

CLICK HERE FOR THE FEATURE ARTICLES "20 things pet owners are now prohibited from doing under the new Animal Protection Law in Spain" and "Electricity in Spain almost 700 per cent more than a year ago"

In a week when tensions are hotting up between Russia and Ukraine, things are decidedly frostier on the western side of Europe. Temperatures are set to drop drastically once more to between -4 and -8ºC in nine autonomous communities across Spain, which admittedly is nowhere near as cold as the frozen snowy tundra of Ukraine. In fact, Murcia can actually expect a balmy weekend, with temperatures ranging between 10º and 17ºC.

A nice excuse to get out in the sunshine, enjoy the fresh air, clear your mind, go for a walk with the dog, maybe do some bird watching – as long as you don’t try to capture any wild birds, especially finches, or let your dog run free in the wild and never come back for it.

Don’t know what I’m talking about? These are among the 20 things pet owners are now prohibited from doing under Spain’s new Animal Protection Law, and we’ve got them all for you here, plus the five common animals you might be surprised that it’s illegal to own as a pet in Spain…

We’ve also got for you this week: new Covid travel rules, how the Ukraine-Russia conflict could affect the cost of living in Spain, and all the latest coronavirus updates as always. Happy reading!

Animal magic

As Spain gets to grips with its new Animal Welfare Law, our furry friends are never far from the news. This week, though, it’s been more of a lesson in what not to do when it comes to animals.

The authorities have published a handy list to remind owners of several things which are now prohibited under the new decree, such as the sale of animals in pet stores and the mutilation of animals for aesthetic purposes.

Some of the more bizarrely specific but totally understandable prohibitions on what we can now not do with pets include giving them away as prizes in a raffle or similar (sorry, better rethink giving away that parakeet to the pub quiz winner), and eating them. Step away from the spit roast – the Labrador’s not for turning!

It might also surprise readers to know that Spain is particularly strict about the kinds of animals that can be kept as domestic pets, as many non-native species can actually threaten the indigenous flora and fauna. The extremely popular Vietnamese potbelly pig, for example, is banned as a pet because if it escapes it tends to breed prolifically and dilutes the wild boar population. Pretty parrots and lovebirds are also off the lost, as are hedgehogs and raccoons.

Over the borderline

Good news for anyone looking to get in a bit of post-Christmas travelling and beat those winter blues, as both the UK and the EU have separately decided to relax their restrictions on international travel.

First, in what’s starting to feel like a monthly game of cat and mouse between travellers and the powers that be, the British government announced this week that they would be making yet more changes to the rules for entering the country. This time, it’s scrapping both the need for a lateral flow or PCR test within two days of arriving in England if you’re fully vaccinated and the self-isolation period for everyone, which means you only have to fill in the Passenger Locator Form and Bob’s your uncle.

To be clear, ‘fully vaccinated’ here means passengers who have been jabbed with recognised WHO vaccines and had their final dose of the vaccine at least 14 days before they arrive. For the moment, it doesn’t require you to have had a booster jab – it’s enough to have had the regular two shots or just one of the Janssen vaccine – but don’t be surprised if this is changed at some point in the future. Back in December, UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid told the House of Commons that the NHS Covid app may soon require people to have had three vaccine doses, including the booster, but didn’t say when that might be happening.

The new rules won’t be coming into force until February 11 – another two weeks yet – so if you’re going to the UK before then you’ll still have to abide by the current rules, but it does mean that anyone who is fully vaccinated and has already booked to do their day-2 test for after February 11 can go ahead and cancel that.

The rules for unvaccinated travellers are the same.

Meanwhile, the EU announced new recommendations for changes to travel rules too. As of February 1, all EU countries may allow anyone with a Covid passport to travel freely across member States without any additional restrictions. That means no testing, no quarantine and no more traffic light system. All you need to go from France to Spain or from Portugal to Ireland, for instance, is the Covid certificate. In the EU, this certificate also counts ‘fully vaccinated’ as having had two shots, in which case it will be valid for nine months.

But here’s the difference – if you have a booster shot, the validity of the EU Covid pass will be extended indefinitely. Even though the immunising effects of the booster jab won’t last forever. Oh well, don’t get too comfortable because they’ll probably change all that again in about six weeks or when there’s a new wave of coronavirus. Watch this space…

Out of pocket

Yet more expenses for those living in Spain or who have property here. It’s no secret that the cost of electricity has been climbing for months on end now, but it’s easy to get bogged down in the constant updates and lose sight of the bigger picture.

Looking back at this time last year gives a better view of what’s really going on, and that’s that the price of electricity on the wholesale market, which directly affects what consumers spend on the energy bill at the end of the month, is just shy of 700% higher than a year ago.

This week last year, each megawatt hour of energy cost just 28.73 euros, but now it is up to an eyewatering 227 euros – a 690.11% rise – and these rises don’t show any sign of slowing down in the next couple of months, at least. As if that weren’t bad enough, there are fears that the Russia-Ukraine crisis could exacerbate things as Spain receives nearly 10% of its natural gas from Russia. While the Spanish government is insisting that any conflict in the region would not lead to supply problems, they are not ruling out the possibility of further price increases as a result. Proof if any were needed that peaceful, diplomatic solutions benefit everyone in a globalised world; just because something’s taking place on the other side of the world doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect us.

Drivers in Spain facing new charges, too, but only if they don’t follow the new rules. Yes, more new driving laws – surprise, surprise – which state that there has to be a 1.5-metre gap when overtaking cyclists, or else cars must move into the other lane entirely where there are two lanes. Failure to do so could land you with a 200-euro fine and six points off your licence (in Spain points are deducted from a driving licence rather than added).

Finally, another new law is being considered in the Valencian Community that would bring in a controversial ‘tourist tax’ for anyone wanting to stay in hotels in Torrevieja, Benidorm or any of the other popular holiday destinations in Alicante. If approved, the move will mean holidaymakers have to pay between 50 cents and 2 euros per night to stay in hotels and other tourist accommodation in the region, including campsites and holiday apartments.

Predictably, there has been fierce backlash from travellers and from workers in the tourism sector, with Benidorm flat out refusing to implement the tax on the grounds that, far from helping to boost the economy, it will dissuade people from coming to visit the area at a time when hotels and tourist-centred businesses are already on their knees because of Covid.

The region’s popular tourist destinations are beginning to bounce back, with hotel occupancy on the Costa Blanca reaching 50% between January 17 and 23 and 58.3% of reservations made by international tourists, more than a third of which were British. The Valencia region’s hotel employers’ association, Hosbec, predicts an even “more favourable” February, and a “return to pre-pandemic” levels by spring, but all this could be jeopardised in a moment by the appearance of a tourist tax.

“Instead of laying out a red carpet and brass band for tourists eager to come and invest in the region’s resorts, they want to raise the price,” said the head of the Costa Blanca Tourist Board, Carlos Mazón. “This is the last message we should be sending to international markets.”

With a move as highly unpopular as this one, you can bet the law won’t be passed in the end. But then again, who knows when it comes to politicians. After all, there is already a similar tourist tax in place in Barcelona and some parts of the Balearic Islands, and Alicante could well be next.

Coronavirus

Almost two years after the pandemic began, coronavirus is still making the headlines, but this week it’s for all the right reasons as the all-important 14-day cumulative incidence rate has dropped for four consecutive days, a sure sign that Spain has reached the peak of the sixth wave and the health situation is improving. Almost 91% of people over 12 are now double jabbed and with similar positive figures being recorded across much of the globe, the WHO now believes that the world may have beaten Covid by the spring.

As a consequence, several communities including Cantabria and Asturias have scrapped the Covid passport system for entry into bars and restaurants, although other regions have indicated that they plan to maintain restrictions for a little longer.

The Covid quarantine has also been dividing experts and communities in Spain, with Madrid demanding that the seven-day self-isolation period be reduced to avoid further job losses and damage to the economy. However, the Minister of Health is categorically refusing to shorten quarantine time again, claiming that such a move would be “absolutely premature”.

For the most part, the experts tend to agree with the Health Minister, since the contagion period of the Omicron variant, which now accounts for 86% of all Covid cases in Spain, is quite different to Delta. With this strain, the peak of infection is normally reached on the sixth day, so reducing quarantine to seven days would mean allowing highly contagious people to walk around freely. The jury’s still out on the latest incarnation of Omicron, ‘Stealth Omicron’, a variant of the variant which has been detected in Spain and many other countries but about which little is yet known.

In yet another about-turn, the Spanish government has this week decided that adults who have previously been infected with coronavirus should wait five months until receiving their booster dose, rather than the four weeks previously agreed. This is one of the main reasons cited by the small percentage of Spaniards who choose not to be vaccinated. On the other hand, a recent survey has revealed that 66% of people in Spain now believe that the Covid vaccine should be made mandatory, as has been done in other countries such as Greece and Austria.

Covid cases in the Region of Murcia appear to finally be slowing down, after record cases over the past month or so. The incidence rate has been dropping steadily this week and experts believe that the curve of the sixth wave is flattening in Murcia too, though hospital admissions and fatalities remain high.

For the second consecutive week in the Valencia region, weekend cases smashed another pandemic record with an eye-popping 57,607 infections in three-days, forcing the regional government to reopen large makeshift vaccination centres from Monday January 31 to accelerate the booster shot rollout. In a brief reprieve, though, mid-way through the week recoveries outweighed new cases and positives fell slightly for the first time in weeks, only to soar to more than 30,000 infections in 24 hours on Thursday. The unprecedented explosion of new cases due to the Omicron variant appears to have hit Alicante province the hardest, where more than a third of the infections were reported.

According to the latest data provided by the Medical Union, Covid infections among healthcare workers in the Valencia region also continue to increase, but at a slower rate than in previous weeks. There are currently 975 hospital and health centre workers on sick leave due to coronavirus, compared to 848 last week. This still represents an increase of 15%, but is significantly lower than the 70% hike from 501 to 848 seven days earlier. In response to the current health situation, the Valencian government has received approval from the Superior Court of Justice to extend the use of the Covid passport for access to bars, restaurants and other spaces until February 28.

Over in Andalucía, this week sadly saw the day with more Covid deaths than in the whole rest of this sixth wave, but it has also seen hospital pressure begin to come down. This is exactly what authorities have been expecting would happen following the declining number of new infections each day and the cumulative incidence rate, which now stands at 1,104.6 per 100,000 inhabitants.

The final piece of the puzzle would now be for the number of people dying from Covid each day in the region to come down from its current plateau of around 30, and then we would be sure that the sixth wave is finally abating. The Andalusian health authorities have stated that once hospital pressure comes down enough, they will reconsider the rules requiring patrons to show the Covid passport when they go into bars, restaurants and hotels, so it’s only a matter of time.

CORONAVIRUS LATEST NEWS

We’re taking this health crisis seriously, and are of the opinion that the better informed everyone is about the latest of the fast-changing developments, the more protected we all are. That’s why we endeavour to bring you all the most up-to-date coronavirus news as it comes out, which you can always consult using the link above.

Murcia

In the Region of Murcia, the Mar Menor is always a hot topic, as the lagoon is one of the biggest regional tourist attractions and brings in thousands of visitors each year, but experts from the Scientific Committee of the Mar Menor have raised concerns about the degradation of the lagoon and how the ecosystem will fare next summer. Conditions are usually better in the winter, as the low temperatures reduce the ecosystem’s metabolism, but during the summer the long hours of intense sunshine will increase the risk of anoxia once again, leading to another wave of dead fish and other organisms similar to the episode last August.

As for the people responsible for contaminating the Mar Menor in the first place, the legal case against over 40 different agricultural companies is moving forward and courts in San Javier, Cartagena and Murcia finally look set to prosecute the businesses who pumped nitrate-laden agricultural waste and salt into a network of pipes which ends in the Mar Menor.

At the end of last week, authorities in Murcia and Cádiz arrested four men on suspicion of terrorism after abundant jihadist propaganda material was found on different electronic devices. One of the men, who was detained in Cádiz, was accused of indoctrinating the three other detainees, who were residing in Murcia.

However, shortly after the arrests, the three suspected terrorists from Murcia were released by the police, despite the fact that they were self-identified “soldiers of the caliphate” and had access to large, heavy trucks, similar to vehicles used in terrorist attacks across Europe. The authorities determined that they were mainly dedicated to viewing the propaganda sent by the fourth jihadist in Cádiz and did not pose a serious threat to public health.

On a more positive note, five local expats from the municipality of Mazarrón cycled to the Camposol urbanisation all the way from Madrid to raise money for charity. Their 500-kilometre journey ended on Wednesday after raising an impressive 4,000 euros for MABS , an association which provides a range of services to cancer patients.

Another cyclist in the Region had a rather different experience to the fundraisers and was left with a hefty fine after crashing into a pedestrian while under the influence. The accident was caught on video and the drunken cyclist was breathalysed by police officers at the scene. Another drunkard also caused a vehicular accident this week: a woman overturned her car in the middle of a Murcia street while three times over the legal alcohol limit.

Corvera airport in the Region of Murcia has announced two new flight routes for this summer – direct routes from Murcia to Oslo and Bergen, in Norway. These two new connections are going to start in June 2022 and aim to boost Nordic tourism in the Region, although some travellers insist there are still too few planes coming to and from Murcia International Airport and are asking for more flights to other countries such as England and Scotland.

Elsewhere, in Murcia’s capital city, stunned onlookers witnessed a shocking scene on Thursday afternoon when a suicidal man climbed a crane on a busy street and threatened to jump. It took firefighters and a police negotiator around five hours to convince the man, who was going through personal and economic problems, to get down. The exhausted individual then required medical attention as he had been exposed to cold weather conditions and wind while clinging to the crane.

Want to know what’s going on in your local area? CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT OUR EVENTS DIARY!

Spain

Spain is famous for its excellent wines, whether its Rioja, Ribera or any of the countless other local varieties granted the prestigious D.O status. Now, wine-producers are going to battle with the EU over their baffling suggestion to include cancer warnings on all wine bottles, like is already done on cigarette packets. Cigarettes: understandable; but wine? Really?

The debate has arisen following a European parliament report on cancer which points out that alcohol is a “risk factor” for cancer and has proposed including this fact on all wine bottles, but wine-producing regions in Spain have vowed “to fight tooth and nail” against the measure. After all, obesity is another risk factor for cancer, but they don’t put cancer warnings on KitKats. Yet…

If the rising cost of living and price of fuel is off-putting and you’re thinking of switching up your mode of transportation to the ever-popular personal mobility vehicles, it may be time to reconsider. All new electric scooters sold must now come with a technical certificate, which limits the speed to 25kph and ensures that the engine size and all other safety specifications are met by the manufacturer.

Alicante

In addition to piling on pressure at understaffed hospitals and clinics, the pandemic has claimed another casualty in Rojales, where the Town Hall’s Department of Festivities and the Central Board of Moors and Christians have cancelled its annual festival due to the high coronavirus incidence.

In contrast, Torrevieja’s hugely popular Carnival will make an eagerly-awaited return next month, and the Town Hall promises the event, declared to be of Regional Tourist Interest, will be bigger and better than before.

Meanwhile in Alicante, closer ties are being forged with the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation to promote sports tourism on an international level. The islands of Mallorca and Menorca are traditionally considered among the top sailing destinations in Spain, but Alicante Provincial Council hopes to create waves and become a contender for the best sailing destination in Spain through “continued support and promotion of water sports tourism”.

Elsewhere on the waves, drama ensued at sea when the Guardia Civil attempted to intercept a luxury yacht crammed with 27 bales of hashish off the coast of Cabo Roig in Alicante province, leading to a 30-minute high-speed chase. The drug-laden yacht was sailing from Cabo de Palos in Cartagena, Murcia, towards Torrevieja when police tried to stop the boat off the coast of Pilar de Horadada as part of a routine check of the condition of vessels and crews.

But rather than stopping, the 15-metre boat accelerated at full speed whilst crew threw several large packages overboard. Police eventually stopped the yacht and discovered 810 kilos of the drug onboard.

Back on dry land, members of a violent Italian itinerant gang that allegedly led a reign of terror on staff and customers at banks in Alicante and Murcia, threatening them at gunpoint and restraining them with cable ties, were arrested this week.

The robbers managed to get away with more than 340,000 euros during one of the heists, but employees and customers managed to resist their violent attempts to intimidate them in an earlier raid in Alicante, leading to the first of five arrests.

In Javea, residents in a town centre neighbourhood are spitting feathers over a growing number of raucous roosters and cackling hens roaming free and causing a “daily nuisance”. Dozens of poultry, which belong to a “squatter” living on an open plot in the centre of the town, have been wandering the streets in the vicinity of Plaza Montserrat Caballe, fouling and cackling day and night, and there are fears they could cause a road traffic accident.

Fed-up residents claim they “get no rest”, and have complained to the council, which admits the process of removing the animals is “delayed due to the squatting”, but assured all attempts “will be made to put an end to this problem as soon as possible”.

In more heart-warming news, a 35-year-old woman gave birth to quadruplets at the General University Hospital of Elche. The newborns – two boys and two girls – are said to be “doing well” and are being looked after in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Andalucía

The top story in Andalucía this week, and the one that has gone viral on the internet, was undoubtedly that of Dico, an eight-year-old German shepherd who was returned to his family six years after he went missing in an emotional reunion. Dico was found wandering by the roadside by Pepa Tenorio, an experienced animal rescuer and dog lover, who had a microchip scanner to hand in her car.

After identifying the lost pooch as the same who had been reported missing six years earlier by a Granada family who had “never stopped looking for him”, Pepa returned Dico to his rightful owners.

Sadly, the dog’s original owner has been the father of the family, who had tragically passed away without ever finding Dico again, although he had never given up hope. Now, at least, the family has one treasured member back in its midst.

More animals dominated the regional headlines this week, too, as the whale that washed up on Estepona beach last week washed back to shore again after being pulled out to sea by a fishing boat, bringing with it a powerful stench of rotting corpse. The body was eventually disposed of in the local landfill site and buried – very ceremoniously, mind you – but there are still worries over the increasing frequency with which large marine animals are turning up on the Costa del Sol.

In just over three weeks, at least 10 dead dolphins have also appeared on beaches in Malaga, prompting an investigation into what could be causing such a spate of tragic deaths. The dolphin bodies have been found on beaches in in Malaga city, Estepona, Torrox, Marbella, Benalmádena and Nerja, and are initially being put down to the ingestion of plastics, oil or chemical spills.

Even more distressing, perhaps, are the five human bodies that the tide brought in to the same coastline, three women and two men, believed to be irregular migrants coming from northern Africa and destined for Andalucía aboard a small boat that may have capsized.

These illegal boat crossings are not uncommon, with well over a thousand irregular migrants arriving on Spanish shores so far this year already. The clandestine nature of the crossings, which are often made at night, as well as the often inexperienced boat captains, mean that the journey can very often be fraught with danger for passengers who pay dearly for the chance to get to Europe for a better life.

Although, how much better can it be if, instead of losing their life on the sea they’re likely to lose it on the roads. Turns out Malaga actually has nine of the top 100 most dangerous roads in Spain, with 45 accidents taking place on these winding mountain roads in the last five years, resulting in six deaths, 24 hospitalisations and 20 other injuries. Be safe out there!

You may have missed…

1. How to access the secret back catalogue on Netflix and watch hidden series and films.

Sometimes when you’ve run out of series and films to watch, it seems like the same old things keep popping up on Netflix and there’s nothing new. But there is one thing you can do to game the system and see all the stuff Netflix doesn’t normally show you – and it’s totally legal!

2. UK Most Wanted criminal arrested in Spain.

An off-duty police officer spotted the fugitive in Malaga following the launch of the UK’s ‘12 Most Wanted’ campaign.

3. Drunk driver clocked speeding at 213km/h on the AP7 in Alicante.

A 55-year-old speeding drunk driver has been arrested in Alicante after a police radar clocked his vehicle travelling at 213 km/h on the AP7 motorway.

4. Catalonia issues pardon to women executed for witchcraft.

Spain’s northwest region of Catalonia has issued a formal pardon to hundreds of women who were executed for witchcraft between the 15th and 18th centuries, and may even start naming streets after them too.

5. PR-MU 88 Route 33 a 7km walk between La Unión and Portmán.

The Carretera del 33 is a seven-kilometre walk through the mountains of the Sierra Minera between La Unión and the coastal town of Portmán, taking walkers on a journey through the spectacular hilly countryside.

And that’s it for this week! Thanks as ever for reading. If you enjoyed this edition of the roundup, please feel free to go ahead and TELL A FRIEND about it, or better yet share this link with them: https://murciatoday.com/weekly_bulletin.html

Or not. Y’know, your choice.

See you next week!

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