Staff Reporter
WHEN will Spanish politicians clean up their act?
This week, we report how Marbella’s former mayor Angeles Munoz is being probed for allegedly altering town planning rules – to benefit her property-developing husband.
Meanwhile,incumbent leader Jose Bernal is being investigated for using public services to give his mate a top-notch wedding.
Residents should be very disappointed by what is clearly an abuse of authority and a severe case of using public services to grant friendly favours.
But it has been a very bad week, in general, for politicians, as it emerged that Junta boss Susana Diaz is back in the limelight for her alleged involvement in an €800 million training funds scandal.
It seems elected officials have forgotten who they are hired to serve… us!
Not their husbands, cousins or mates!
And the corruption isn’t exclusive to local government.
Rodrigo Rato, the former finance minister, has gone on trial for splashing millions in black money – undeclared to the taxman – on numerous luxury items.
He used company credit cards from one of Spain’s main banks, Bankia, while the rest of the country was financially on its knees… and many people still are.
Three years ago, our front page carried a photo of Prime Minister Rajoy, asking one simple question: ‘Who will cut out the cancer destroying Spain?’
Well tragically, we are nowhere nearer to the answer.
With no clear government in sight and the regions still up to their old tricks, it is clear Spain has a long way to go in making its leaders accountable.
Once again: ‘Who is going to cut out this cancer?’
In Spain, many people are ‘beholden’ to political friends. This is called being ‘pringao’. Many, many enjoy the status quo, and will therefore look the other way over corruption. The councillor who takes a small back-hander when he orders new street-lights: well, he’s creating some temporary work. The candidate who offers your cousin a job in the town hall, if your family votes for him. The labourer who won’t charge the IVA, why, that’s a 21% discount. The mayor who organises a free bus-trip for the elderly. Can I come?
The useless civil servant, sure that he can’t be fired. The employee who gets 14 monthly payments a year. The Union boss who eats lobster and the newspaper or television station that is beholden to the PP for its status (and its ‘institutional advertising’).
Spain may be different, but there is a system at work.
Yes, its called a ‘corrupt system’: its crippling local economy and preventing new capital formation where the real economy and future jobs will be. Just bcause its ‘there’ its continuation isn’t justified – unless, of course, you are one of the corrupt enjoying the ‘paella’.
Chas, having lived in 4 different mainland countries I can say, sadly with confidence, that mainlanders simply cannot look outside their own country and will not contemplate real change. This is most evident the further south you go in Europe.
A small but hilarious example was watching a Spanish chef spend over 10 minutes pizzballing around with clingfilm to make a ridiculous attempt at – an egg poacher. Had he used the i/net and looked outside Spain he would have known that these are an old idea in northern Europe.
This xenophobia is most evident with wine. The Spanish only know about their own wine, same goes in France – Brits,Germans and Dutch have far wider experience of wine from around the world than any southern European but try getting either of these to admit to this – hubris and xenophobia are negative and counter productive.
Brits have many faults but are far more outward looking than any other people in Europe. Brexit has shown just how big the chip on the shoulder is for so many mainlanders – just look at that klootzak Pablo, his chip is so big he has to use a sidecar to carry it = or fall over LOL.
I found Poertuguese very outward looking, likely due to their seafaring history, disdain for Spain, and the many decades of working throughout the world to escape Salazar. Very little xenophobia. Quite proud of wine and cuisine, I think for good reason.
You have a valid point about the Portugese and Portugal chas. I like the way they are so definitely NOT Spanish and the Atlantic? A step up from the Med.
I think that few of muy country fellows understand about wine. De have nothing against french wine , ,etc. It is a cuestión of scarce culture with respect wine.
Chas,
they know very little about wine from other countries or other cuisines. I found their food good for getting fat, nothing more.
I don’t hold back when continental idiots start trashing British food – especially when I find that they have never even visited my country, then I really lay into them, which shocks them greatly since most English especially are very mealy mouthed but I’m an old fashioned Celt and they quickly learn the difference – no one respects the weak, nor should they.
a good start could be that the british police stop the british criminals in british territory.