SPAIN

FRAUD! Sánchez and the socialist PSOE intentionally deceived the Army and Congress, hiding that the billion euros allotted for military spending on weapons was destined for Ukraine, not Spain: {Translation, summary}
– The President of Ukraine, Volodymir Zelenski, was received yesterday at midday at Madrid-Barajas airport by the King on his first official visit to Spain. Afterwards, he met with Pedro Sánchez at the Moncloa Palace, had a meeting with Felipe VI, a lunch in his honour at the Royal Palace and a reception at the Spanish Parliament. A diplomatic display that, however, did not end there. The Ukrainian president left the country yesterday with a bilateral security agreement under his arm between Spain and Ukraine that guarantees support for his country for the next ten years and, most immediately, an investment in arms of more than 1 billion euros by 2024.
– This figure comes from an agreement approved by the Council of Ministers on 16 April, without them being informed that the destination of said funds was the Ukrainian front. Even PSOE’s communist partners, the Sumar members of the government, did not know at the time, as they complained yesterday. The destination of the funds was not detailed by the government spokesperson, Pilar Alegría, in the press conference following the Council of Ministers, and only became known more recently, through a reference published afterwards on the Moncloa Palace website.
– Lying by omission, the Council announced the increase of the Ministry of Defence’s credit by almost 1.13 billion euros “for the supply of diverse material for the reinforcement of military capabilities”. The government referred to the context of “high volatility, uncertainty and instability” in the international situation and the need to reinforce military capabilities “in order to increase the available strategic reserve”. The Sanchez government intentionally withheld the fact, and intentionally mislead the public, that these funds were for the Spanish military, when in fact Ukraine would be the receiptient of the billion euros allocated.
– Without any information on Ukraine, it was then understood that the money was destined for the Armed Forces’ arsenals. And neither did the Sumar party in the Council of Ministers know more details, as Ernest Urtasun, spokesman for Yolanda Díaz’s party and Minister of Culture, revealed yesterday. Urtasun denounced that the PSOE approved these 1.13 billion in an “opaque and non-transparent” way and that only yesterday did they find out their true objective. “We do not agree that defence spending should be increased outside the General Budget, but the agreement was also lacking in transparency, and it was not known what it was for. Today we have learned that it was for sending arms to Ukraine”, he reproached.
– In an attempt to justify his actions, Sanchez, during an appearance with Zelenski at the Moncloa Palace, ruled out that the billion euro handout would have to pass through the Cortes Generales for approval. “It is a memorandum of understanding, it is not necessary to pass it through the Congress of Deputies, it is not an international treaty”, he claimed. Downplaying the criticisms, he insisted that “the most important thing is to raise the level of bilateral cooperation to a new level so that Ukraine can guarantee the security and defence of its country” {… and honest transparency be damned}. Source, Spanish: https://www.abc.es/espana/psoe-camuflo-mes-medio-1000-millones-armas-20240528200014-nt.html

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Even his Commie partners are angry – Diaz (SUMAR, communist) accuses Sanchez & PSOE (socialist) of disloyalty after unsuccessful request for data on Ukraine arms money deal: {Translation}
– The second vice-president and leader of Sumar, Yolanda Díaz {pic}, has accused the socialist wing of the government of acting “with a lack of loyalty” towards its coalition partner with its lack of “opacity” over the shipment of arms to Ukraine and has demanded that it stop “acting alone” and not prevent the debate on this measure in Congress.
– In statements to TVE, picked up by Europa Press, he stressed that the lack of transparency with which the PSOE has operated in this matter is “very serious”, given that on two occasions Sumar presented observations within the Government on the destination of the 1.13 billion in military spending approved in April and “was not answered”, until yesterday he found out from the press that the destination was arms for Ukraine.
– “It is very serious because of a lack of loyalty to the government partner, but it is more serious because of the lack of loyalty to the Spanish people. Defence policy is very important in the country and citizens have the right to a public debate on whether this is the right thing to do or not”, Díaz emphasised.
– She rejected the argument of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, that the bilateral agreement with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodímir Zelenski, should not be debated, as it is a memorandum of understanding. Specifically, Díaz has stated that this shipment involves “very high” amounts in a context without new General Budgets, which is why the PSOE should reconsider and hold this democratic debate so that the groups can express their opinion.
– Questioned about whether she will speak to the President of the Government to express her discomfort, the leader of Sumar said that she will always act discreetly about her conversations with Sánchez, insisting that her party had already expressed its critical stance on the approval of this military spending in April, which was carried out with “total opacity”. “The Spanish defence policy has to be democratically subjected to debate in Congress so that the public can know about it, but also, logically, in a democracy, the political parties have to give their opinion,” she said. Source, Spanish: https://andaluciainformacion.es/andalucia/1670478/diaz-acusa-al-psoe-de-deslealtad-tras-pedir-sin-exito-datos-sobre-el-acuerdo-con-ucrania/ 

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Israel accuses Sanchez of “complicity in Jewish genocide” as Spain seeks Arab world backing: {Translation}
– The Israeli government took its personal attacks on Pedro Sánchez to the maximum after the president’s official statement on Tuesday recognizing Palestine. The Hebrew foreign minister, Israel Katz {pic}, who in recent days has been in charge of launching the harshest invectives against Spain, directly accused Sánchez of having become “complicit in inciting Jewish genocide and war crimes” for “announcing the recognition of the Palestinian state” and for “not firing Yolanda Díaz”.
– In a new message in Hebrew on the social network X (formerly Twitter), which Katz is using profusely in this diplomatic crisis, the Israeli foreign minister reproached Sánchez for his alleged support for “genocide”, although in an almost identical message in Spanish, the minister lowered the tone slightly and accused the Spanish president of being “complicit in inciting the murder of the Jewish people”, not genocide.
– In both messages, in both Hebrew and Spanish, Katz included a photospread with pictures of Yolanda Díaz and the two greatest declared enemies of the State of Israel: Hamas’s top leader, Yahya Sinwar, and Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. “Khamenei, Sinwar and Díaz call for the elimination of Israel and the establishment of a Palestinian Islamic terrorist state from the river to the sea,” says Kats, arguing that Sánchez has not fired the vice-president.
– Katz, a member of the conservative Likud, beyond being responsible for the unexpected diplomatic gesture of the withdrawal of the ambassador to Spain, Rodica Radian-Gordon, when on 22 May Sánchez announced his intention to recognise Palestine, is taking pains to take the escalation of disagreements to the maximum with his strident statements on social networks against Spain. Already on 22 May he accused Spain of “awarding a gold medal to the murderers of Hamas” with the announcement of recognition.
– Then – and also in response to Yolanda Díaz’s statements repeating the anti-Israel controversial slogan that Palestine should extend “from the river to the sea” – other harsh statements and unfriendly gestures followed. On 26 May Katz shared a video on the social network X showing images of two flamenco dancers intertwined with scenes of Hamas attacks on 7 October. In the video, he directly addressed the Prime Minister with the message: ‘Pedro Sánchez, Hamas thanks you for your service’. On the same network, and accompanying the announcement that the Israeli government was going to veto the Jerusalem Consulate from serving Palestinians, Katz directly threatened Spain: “The days of the Inquisition are over. Those who harm us, we will harm them in return”.
– Despite Katz’s verbal onslaught, the Spanish government on Tuesday preferred to dodge the controversy and follow its roadmap, which in the short term involves seeking support for its decision to recognise the Palestinian state in the Arab and Muslim world. Almost simultaneously with Sánchez’s statement, the department headed by José Manuel Albares announced that from Wednesday onwards, the president will meet in Madrid with various foreign ministers and heads of the so-called Arab Contact Group for Gaza. These meetings are expected to include the heads of diplomacy of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Turkey, as well as the Secretary General of the Arab League, Ahmed Ajdul Gheit. The government’s idea is to try to use this meeting to somehow relaunch pressure for an immediate ceasefire in the battered strip and to reinforce the Palestinian Authority as the sole valid representative of the state, to the detriment of Hamas. Source, Spanish: https://www.diariosur.es/nacional/israel-eleva-tono-acusa-sanchez-complice-incitar-20240528094032-ntrc.html 

AXARQUÍA

The PSOE criticizes the PP government team for not executing the 15 million euros of the plan against the drought in Axarquía: {Translation}
– The PSOE provincial deputies Manuel Lara and José Juan Jiménez have denounced this Tuesday in a press conference the lack of execution of the works of modernisation of the treatment plants of the province committed by the PP government team in the Provincial Council.
– The mayor of Cuevas Bajas, Manuel Lara, explained that, of the 23 works to repair and modernise treatment plants in the province announced by the president of the institution, Francisco Salado, in January 2023, none have been completed, handed over to the corresponding town council and in operation.
– According to data provided by the government team itself, there are 19 works begun, but the reality is that 11 of them have a degree of execution below 50% and 4 of these are at 0% execution. Specifically, the government team has acknowledged in writing that the four treatment plants that are at 0% completion are those of Ardales, Colmenar, Parauta and Villanueva de Tapia. In addition, 4 other treatment plants do not even have funds allocated: those of El Chorro, Cuevas del Becerro, Teba and Gaucín.
– “We see once again how the PP in the Diputación de Málaga is not doing its homework. We are in a position to affirm that in May 2024 no treatment plant will be finished, handed over to the corresponding town council and in operation”, said Lara, who accused the PP of “opening a battle against the municipalities of the province which it considers to be guilty of the poor state of the water facilities”.
– For his part, the provincial deputy and mayor of La Viñuela, José Juan Jiménez, has criticised the government team for not implementing the 15 million euros of the plan against drought in the Axarquia announced more than a year ago. “We asked the municipalities of the region to make an assessment of all the investments to be made, so we did, so we proceeded, we acted diligently and transferred the needs of our municipalities to the Diputación, but the action is conspicuous by its absence,” he lamented. Source, Spanish: https://www.axarquiaplus.es/el-psoe-critica-al-equipo-de-gobierno-del-pp-por-no-ejecutar-los-15-millones-de-euros-del-plan-contra-la-sequia-en-la-axarquia/

TORROX

Bank ordered to pay 50,000 euros in compensation to couple who were refused a house in Torrox by Aifos: {Translation}
– The Provincial Court of Malaga has confirmed a first instance ruling that began in 2018. Six years later, Banco Santander has been ordered to pay some 50,000 euros, including interest, for a house bought off-plan from the developer Aifos in 2003 in a residential area of Torrox, which was never delivered to the buyers.
– According to Eugenio Cabezas for Sur, the couple, by means of a private contract signed on the 1st of September 2003, acquired from the developer Aifos, Arquitectura y Promociones Inmobiliarias S.A. a house which was to be located in what was to be the Balcones de Torrox residential complex, and which should have been delivered 20 months after the architect had signed the building works report, which did not take place, according to Ley 57, the law firm which has represented them, explained this Monday.
– As was known by the defendant, which is part of the bankruptcy proceedings of the Malaga developer, which was ordered at first instance to pay the amounts delivered in the amount of 29,686.50 euros, plus interest since delivery and costs, which today exceeds the figure of 50,000 euros, according to the lawyers of Ley 57.
Source, Spanish: https://www.axarquiaplus.es/obligan-a-un-banco-a-indemnizar-con-50-000-euros-a-una-pareja-a-la-que-aifos-no-entrego-una-casa-en-torrox/ 

ALMERIA

Health declares the water in Aguadulce, Roquetas de Mar, El Parador, Cortijos de Marín & La Urba unfit for consumption: {Translation, summary}
– The Consejería de Salud y Consumo de la Junta de Andalucía, through the Territorial Delegation in Almería, has issued a resolution declaring the water from the distribution networks of Roquetas de Mar to be “unfit for human consumption”. The supply comes from the Bernal wells and the cut-off is one of the consequences of the maintenance stoppage at the Dalías desalination plant, which is the main water supply to the population of Roquetas de Mar.
– As an alternative supply, the Roquetas de Mar Town Hall will use water from the Bernal boreholes via tanker trucks. These boreholes were affected by low natural radioactivity in the groundwater and have therefore been under intensive surveillance by the health authorities since 15 December.
– As a result, the health authorities have indicated that the water supplied in some areas of the municipality may not be used for drinking or as an ingredient in food preparation until further notice. However, they assure that there is no inconvenience in using it for cleaning the home and dishes or for personal hygiene. The municipalities affected by these cuts are Aguadulce, Roquetas de Mar, El Parador, Cortijos de Marín and La Urba. Source, Spanish: https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/5341779/0/salud-declara-no-apta-para-consumo-agua-varias-zonas-almeria/ 

MIJAS

Do We Really Need A 14th Water Devouring Golf Course In Mijas? Junta gives green light to construction of 18-hole golf course, five-star hotel and 350 apartments in Mijas:
– The estate known as Cortijo Los Ortejones, located close to La Cala, will cease to be land of natural or rural character and become developable. This bureaucratic process, which has been going on for years and which, with this definitive approval, puts an end to any stumbling blocks and allows construction to begin on the development, known as Valle del Golf Resort.
– The project, which was announced on Monday, includes the construction of a new 18-hole golf course, a school and a practice tee area, which will reinforce Mijas’ commitment to being a benchmark destination for this sport, as it currently has 13 active courses. A five-star hotel will also be built with a total of 156 rooms on 20,587 square metres of land. The accommodation will include a large conference hall, a spa centre, a training and physiotherapy centre, an events room and a restaurant serving regional cuisine, among other facilities. All of this will be located on a plot of 1,078,524 square metres and will transform not only the land itself, but also the entire surrounding area, as the project involves a modification of the access roads and the creation of new green areas. Full article: https://www.surinenglish.com/malaga/mijas-fuengirola/the-green-light-for-the-construction-golf-20240528083706-nt.html

HEALTH

Another Week, Another Medical Malpractice Payout In Andalucia: {Translation}
– The 7th Court of First Instance in Malaga has ordered the Muface medical insurance company to pay 13,000 euros to a 50-year-old patient for medical negligence in a knee operation.
– In the lawsuit filed, the lawyer Damián Vázquez, from the association El Defensor del Paciente (The Patient’s Ombudsman), gave a history of an operation at the age of 20 for an anterior ligament replacement of the right knee. In October 2015, due to problems in the same knee, the patient went to the emergency room of the El Ángel Hospital in Málaga and, after an MRI scan, he was diagnosed with anterior cruciate ligamentoplasty, which subsequently caused several effusions. On 20 January 2017, he underwent surgery on the knee by arthroscopy and subsequently received rehabilitation, El Defensor del Paciente reported in a statement on Tuesday.
– Another MRI scan, dated 31 May 2017, concluded that he had suffered a radial tear of the posterior horn-body of the internal meniscus. Not being satisfied with the medical care he was receiving from the medical insurer, with delays and problems, he decided to contact another doctor for a second medical opinion, who confirmed severe reactive synovitis of the right knee.
– This doctor proposed surgical arthroscopy and with an anatomopathological study, which was carried out on 31 October 2017, and in which remains of the Dacron anterior cruciate ligament lesion were appreciated, in poor condition, which should have been removed in the previous intervention, but this was not done. The patient was referred back for rehabilitation, but this has meant that his job in the National Police has had to be adapted, as he is unable to carry out physical activities.
– The judgement upheld the arguments of the lawyer and rejected the insurer’s claim of lack of standing to sue, stating that there was a defective informed consent, as it did not explain all the risks and complications. In addition, he was given to sign it when he was already on the operating theatre stretcher, without giving him time to read it calmly or inform him adequately. The court also condemned the medical insurer for the delay in the definitive medical treatment. Source, Spanish: https://www.malagahoy.es/malaga/Condenan-negligencia-operacion-rodilla-Malaga_0_1906909776.html

TECH

Telefónica investigates a data leak of 120,000 customers & employees information: {Translation, summary}
– Telefónica is investigating a potential cyber-attack that would have resulted in the leaking of data on 120,000 of the company’s customers and employees. The operator is analysing the legitimacy and veracity of the data that the user who published it on a so-called ‘dark web’ website claims to have. These data include addresses, full names and mobile phone numbers. This alleged attack comes just two weeks after Banco Santander admitted that it suffered an attack with access to customer data in Chile, Spain and Uruguay and all employees and some former employees of the group.
– Now Telefónica’s teams will have to analyse not only the veracity but, if so, whether it came from a security breach in the group’s own systems or was caused by an attack on a third party. Source, Spanish: https://www.20minutos.es/lainformacion/empresas/telefonica-investiga-filtracion-datos-miles-clientes-empleados-5343432/

FINANCIAL

Euribor drops today and fuels the big mortgage discount in May – up to €400 less: {Translation, summary}
– The Euribor today falls to 3.722%. The indicator to which most mortgages in Spain refer to recorded a drop on Tuesday after a string of days of increases. For now, the monthly average remains at 3.67% and, with three days left, it is still below that of 2023 (3.8%), which indicates that it will close the fifth month of the year down. This translates into a reduction of almost 400 euros per year in some mortgage payments.
– The mortgage reduction will become a reality for the second consecutive month. In this case, for an average mortgage of 150,000 euros, at 25 years and an interest rate of 1% plus Euribor, the reduction will be around 16 euros per month, or 192 euros per year. In the case of an average mortgage of 300,000 euros with the same conditions as the previous one, the saving will be around 33 euros per month, or 396 euros per year.
– The reduction in the instalments of variable mortgages will be greater if the review is carried out every six months: on average, up to 32.82 euros if the initial amount of the loan was 150,000 euros and 65.63 if it was 300,000 euros.
– The big question now is what will happen to the Euribor in the coming months. There are still days to go before we know what decision the European Central Bank will take at its meeting on 6 June regarding official interest rates: if it decides to lower them, even by 25 basis points, it is likely that the Euribor will follow suit and in the coming months we will see slightly more significant reductions in variable-rate mortgages. Source, Spanish: https://www.20minutos.es/lainformacion/economia/euribor-hoy-baja-buenas-noticias-cuota-hipoteca-5282827/