Mason Jones (Reporter)
CORRUPTION has been recognised as one of Spain’s major problems following a national opinion poll.
Results from the most recent CIS survey reveal that 40% of Spaniards now believe corruption and fraud to be the country’s second biggest problem after unemployment.
The statistics, recorded just a week after El Pais published the alleged Partido Popular ledgers, show that public concern has more than doubled from the 17.7% in January’s poll.
The perception of corruption to be one of Spain’s principal issues is the highest since 1994’s ‘Filesa case’, another financial scandal involving high-ranking politicians, embroiled the nation.
Other cases thought to have influenced the results are the Gurtel investigation, allegations against the king’s son-in-law Inaki Urdangarin, and alleged acts of espionage in Cataluna.
Unemployment, which has now topped over five million people, remained the first concern for 79.9% of the 2,472 people surveyed.
The corrupt power that the banks and financial institutions have obtained means they can frequently dictate policy to the government. In this new form of inverted totalitarianism, we must begin to wonder if this much power and influence in one sector of civil society will cause even more social unrest.
Eurogroup head Jeroen Dijsselbloem declared that the Cyprus rescue should be seen as a “template” for the rest of the eurozone.
Get any savings out now is my advice. I never trusted here to begin with lol.
Corruption from the top runs through to the bottom!
To deal honestly means you have to wait until you die for the courts to deal with your case!!
Frustrated to the heath!
I had to laugh when I read the 40% of Spanish who thought corruption was a problem but only second to unemployment.
When the figure reaches 95% I’ll believe that the Spanish are capable of change.
Fred – all banking is fractional and carries risk in all countries. I’ve made a few bad investments in my time and knew the risks involved – I did’nt expect anyone to bail me out.
This is what should have happened in the UK but Gordon Gekko thought only about his rich friends.
Now to use ‘daisy cutter’ bombs on all the tax havens – leave the greedy nowhere to run to.
And the other 60% are at it.
Corruption generates unemployment. I gave up trying to have an extension built as the local planner and Town Hall were too corrupt. They wanted me to build a Road using their preferred building Company, that the Mayor owned. They did not even come to look at the site and you could get a 40ft trailer down there (on my land that no one else could use) but they wanted a Road on my land. Then they made up some other taxes that started at 10% then they increased this to 20%. I gave up in the end. It is strange, in the UK, other than the high charges of solicitors we do not have the same problems that Spanish solicitors get involved with. I have used a couple, one of them was so dodgy, I don’t think he is in jail but that alone just tells you that there are no checks going on. As said the other day, stop large cash payments and increase the tax inspectors for property transactions to start with, then take away the powers of the mayors regarding planning permission with all the back handers they take. Maybe people will build something if it is all above board. No point spending any money in Spain until they sort themselves out and at the speed they move that could be never. As Fred says, I would not leave any large amounts of money in Spain, you know there is a good chance of what is coming.
I Have seen this corruption thrown straight in my face as mentioned in a previous story.. this all to do with the bank Unicaja…
My advice is take all monies out of the banks in Spain… they will just take what they want and the aggravation to get your money back is just not worth it.. .
I made a fatal mistake getting a mortgage through this bank…
I just hope the day comes when they do the PPI Claims over here..
I will be able to take a year off . . .