Economy of Andalucía to grow by 1.8% in 2015

Domestic demand grows thanks to fiscal encouragement

Tourism numbers also in expansion

SEVILLE -- The analysis service of BBVA bank reported recently that the economy of the Andalucía Region will show growth of 1.3% by the end of this year and increase by 1.8% in 2015. This, according to Rafael Doménech, head economist of the Developed Economies department of BBVA Research, is within the context of general growth of the Spanish economy, which "is growing despite stagnation in the EuroZone." And according to a previous report, Situación Andalucía, issued during the first half of 2014, "the economy of Andalucía is expanding well ... and it is evident that it is in full recovery."

Supreme Court to investigate Andalucía ex-Presidents Chaves and Griñán on ERE case

Other former top Junta councillors and many business people also involved

Manuel Chaves (l)
José Antonio Griñán (r)

SEVILLE -- Judge Mercedes Alaya sent documents about the ERE case in Andalucía to the Supreme Court in the belief that there may be a case to answer regarding bribery and malfeasance. Now the Court confirms that it needs to look into the case, that it sees the same indications of irregularities as the judge. Several politicians, former councillors and diverse business people are allegedly involved. While the case has been around for at least a year, the two top men of the PSOE and most of the rest of the impugned have managed to keep under the radar, mainly because they are aforados (with parliamentary protection). Manuel Chaves and others have asked to appear in court voluntarily. Griñán had not yet done so at time of writing. This case is likely to become a cause celèbre for the opposition PP party in Andalucía, as it is being accosted from all sides in large and significant corruption cases all over the country (Click on CORRUPTION in the sidebar cloud of labels to get the idea.). The PSOE party has refused to pay litigation costs for the pair or any of the others involved because 'they are innocent'. 

Andalucía’s education disaster (MÁS ABAJO EN ESPAÑOL: Andalucía, desastre en educación)

OPINION (by Alberto Bullrich) -- A friend’s son was told to leave his classroom at the village Adult Education Centre the other day. He called his mother in tears; she went to speak with the teacher, who told her that the ‘head office’ had denied the boy, 17, permission to take the exams at the end of the course because he was born in January, after the ‘adult’ deadline of December 31. He would have to wait a whole year, though he was offered other unrealistic alternatives. Fair enough, he was born ‘too late’ so he is not officially an adult yet. But why was he eager to attend these classes?

Coalition negotiates pact on illegal homes

This will happen to some houses

SEVILLA – Sources in the Government of Andalucía say that, if two vital items in the region’s 2015 budget are settled (See this week’s article Health and Education to be saved from Budget cuts) and ‘minor issues’ are sorted, both parties (PSOE AND IU) agree that new legislation is needed to ‘legalise’ between 20,000 and 25,000 homes or houses that were built ‘illegally’ during the construction boom, and bought in good faith, most often by foreigners, at least in Andalucía. This subject is supposedly ‘close to the heart’ of Junta President Susana Díaz, which is not necessarily a guarantee of its coming to fruition. More on ‘Regularisation of Illegal Property’ by Rafael Berdaguer Abogados:

Junta de Andalucía coalition is still negotiating pact on illegal homes

Illegal homes in Chiclana (Cádiz)
(elperiodistadigital.com)

SEVILLA – Sources in the Government of Andalucía say that, if two vital items in the region’s 2015 budget are settled (See this week’s article Health and Education to be saved from Budget cuts)and ‘minor issues’ are sorted, both parties (PSOE AND IU) agree that new legislation is needed to ‘legalise’ between 20,000 and 25,000 homes or houses that were built ‘illegally’ during the construction boom, and bought in good faith, most often by foreigners, at least in Andalucía. This subject is supposedly ‘close to the heart’ of Junta President Susana Díaz, which is not necessarily a guarantee of its coming to fruition (they've been at it for a while now...). More on ‘Regularisation of Illegal Property’ by Rafael Berdaguer Abogados (written and published last year -- they're still negotiating!)