In today’s Spanish news headlines, Government to debate short-haul flight ban, police test fraud case comes to court, eighteen people on trial for drug trafficking, and Police inspector on trial for leaking information.
Spanish News Headlines
The Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge Commission of the Congress of Deputies scheduled the debate and vote today on a non-law proposal from Sumar on the prohibition of short-hail, domestic flights.
Air routes with train alternatives of up to three hours would be affected, such as flights routes Madrid-Barcelona, Madrid-Seville, Madrid-Málaga, Madrid-Valencia, Madrid-Alicante and Barcelona-Valencia.
The coalition government agreement between the PSOE and Sumar includes a proposal to reduce peninsular air routes in Spain when there is an alternative to train travel of up to 2.5 hours.
The trial begins today in the First Section of the Provincial Court of the Balearic Islands, hearing evidence in the Examens case, which sees seven people in the dock, including former officials of the Palma Local Police, allegedly involved in the manipulation of test results to access to the municipal body in 2012.
The accused are those who at that time held the positions of general director of Citizen Security, Enrique Calvo; the chief mayor of the Palma Local Police, Antonio Vera; the chief commissioner of the Operational and Security Police Station, Rafael Estarellas, and four other officials of the Local Police.
The Court of Las Palmas has summoned 18 defendants to appear today in relation to a drug trafficking crime to try to reach an agreement with the Prosecutor’s Office, which requests sentences ranging from three to nine years in prison.
The network in which they allegedly participated carried out operations to introduce cocaine into Spain by air using human couriers and by sea using the blind hook or lost hook system, which consists of using a container with legal and documented cargo to hide the narcotic substances.
The Madrid Provincial Prosecutor’s Office requests four years in prison for APC, a National Police inspector stationed in Coslada, who retired during the judicial investigation phase, who allegedly dedicated himself to unjustifiably and without permission consulting police databases to pass information on to several friends, among whom were a businessman, a lawyer, a bar waitress and the owner of a nightclub that he frequented in San Fernando de Henares.
He also, allegedly, provided information to other hospitality businessmen, depending on the development of the investigations. The representative of the Public Ministry charges him with a crime of infidelity in the custody of documents and another of violation of secrets.
To read these articles in full, visit SpainToday.news
Business, Markets and Statistics
The service sector indicators and industry turnover indices stand out on the macro agenda in Spain on Wednesday.
Outside our borders, the main references of the day are consumer confidence and mortgage applications in the US.
In the business field, this Thursday HSBC and Nvidia publish results.
Back in Spain, the INE publishes the index of business figures in the industry for December, along with those activity indicators of the services sector.
In the Eurozone, there is a non-monetary policy meeting of the Governing Council of the ECB, and the ECB publishes monthly indicators on public debt securities. Meanwhile, Eurostat publishes harmonised CPI data at constant 2023 tax rates.
In the United Kingdom, HSBC publishes quarterly results.
Things to Do Today
Cinderella is in Torrevieja on Sunday 25 February, and International Flamenco Day is celebrated with a concert on 2 March. You can then take a Trip to Oz, with the kids, on 15 March, assuming you survive Peter and the Wolf on 10 March. There is also the Magical world of Disney concert on 16.
For sports fans, there are a couple of endurance events this weekend, including in the municipality of Elche, where Transilicitana will take place, a staggering 100-kilometre race, with slopes and flats, starting on Saturday with 24 hours to complete the race.
Then, on Sunday 25 February, we have the Torrevieja 21k half marathon, and a 5k race, starting at 9:30 a.m. Both of those events of course will lead to road closures, so check the traffic situation before you travel.
Looking ahead, James Blunt is back in Alicante on 19 July, as is Tom Jones on 25. Other popular groups coming to Spain in the near future include AC/DC, Depeche Mode, and Simple Minds.
A Black Music Festival is taking place in Salt until 9 March, and the Jerez Festival of Flamenco and art is on in Jerez de la Frontera also until 9 March.
Down south, the Malaga Film Festival takes place from 1 to 10 March, followed by the Granada Tango Festival from 12 to 17 March.
Fallas season is about to start, culminating in the celebrations around the middle of March, not forgetting of course we have San Jose, Spanish Father’s Day, a big event in the Spanish cultural calendar. The main fallas event is around Valencia, where this year the calendar is from 25 February to 19 March.
We must also remember that Easter is earlier this year, and one of the big draws is Elche, and in particular Palm Sunday, on account of the history of the city in relation to palm trees. A huge Palm Sunday procession takes place in the city each year.
One of the most unusual festivals takes place in the town of Mula, with the Night of the Drums, or Noche de los Tambores, where drumming begins at midnight on Holy Tuesday until 4 in the afternoon on Wednesday. Similar drum festivals take place in a few other towns too, but Mula is known as one of the best.
Another unusual celebration takes place in Jerte, usually at the end of March and beginning of April, but it depends on the weather, and therefore could be earlier this year, but it is the Cherry Trees in Blossom festival, which beholds a beauty of colour and aroma that is definitely a feast for the senses,
For more local events, pick up The Leader newspaper every Monday, and This is Torrevieja for Torrevieja events.
Local Markets
Midweek markets can be found today at Guardamar del Segura, La Mata (Torrevieja), San Isidro, and San Miguel de Salinas.
The roads will of course be busy around those locations.
Traffic and Travel
This week, ROADPOL, the European traffic police network, are holding a focussed campaign on vans, trucks and buses, checking everything from vehicle standards and compliance, and driver and documentation. The campaign runs all week and through Sunday 25 February 2024, and will be taking place in most European countries.
In Spain, the DGT are supporting this campaign and so the Guardia Civil, assisted by Local Police in areas where they are taking part, will also be checking on these types of vehicles.
There is also still the possibility of protests causing disruption on the roads, and so you should consult the official information from the DGT which is updated live on their website.
We also still have the risk of snow on higher and mountainous areas, and so snow chains could be required, again, check before you travel.
For information and updates about driving in Spain, visit N332.es
Flight wise, the industrial action affecting Lufthansa flights finishes early this morning. There may be delays on flights between Heathrow and Spain due to high winds around Heathrow, expected to get worse as the day continues.
There is also a possibility of delays on Gran Canaria due to flight equipment calibration throughout the day. There are also some Air Traffic Control capacity issues expected over the Iberian Peninsula, though hopefully not having too much of an impact as contingency plans are in place.
There are around 22,500 flights scheduled for Wednesday, so again, not one of the busiest days.
Official Websites for Travel Information
- For live traffic reports, visit the DGT traffic map
- For weather warnings, consult AEMET
- For flight information, check the AENA airport operator’s website
On This Day
2008, the last book in the Harry Potter saga, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by the writer J. K. Rowling, goes on sale in Spanish.
2005, in Madrid, a collapse in the expansion works of Metro line 1 causes the death of one worker and injuries to seven others.
1936, the Permanent Deputation of the Spanish Cortes approves the amnesty project drafted by the Government and which affects all political prisoners.
