Ban on Bullfighting to be Debated in Parliamant
Finally, representatives of the CiU, ERC and ICV parties (Convergencia i Unió, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya and Iniciativa Verds) will explain their reasons for not requesting any amendments.
Wednesday 16 December 2009
Friday 27 November 2009
Catalonia's Dignity
In an unprecedented move, all the Catalan newspapers have joined together to issue the same statement on their front covers about the legal decision pending on the future of Catalonia.
Almost three years have passed while the Constitutional Tribunal has dragged its collective feet in reaching a decision on the Catalan Estatut, the central document defining Catalonia's status and relationship with the Spanish state.
First published in 2006 and thrice democratically approved: first by voters through a referendum; secondly by Parliament and thirdly by the Head of State King Juan Carlos, the law has been batted back and forth to the point that serious doubts have been raised as to the validity of the process. It will be the first time since the restoration of democracy in 1977 that a tribunal will make a decision on a law that has been fundamentally approved by voters. Expectation is high.
One of the main causes of concern has been the the membership of the tribunal itself Out of the twelve judges that make up the tribunal, only ten are allowed to decide upon the official outcome as one (Pablo Pérez Tremps) has been disenfranchised after a deliberate move to influence the balance of the debate, and another (Roberto García-Calvo) died. Out of the ten judges able to vote, four remain in office despite losing their mandate as a consequence of the sordid disagreement between the government and the opposition over the renewal of an entity recently named by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero as the 'Heart of Democracy'. A heart with hardened valves and no more than half of its parts neither free or able to reach an independent decision. This is the make up of the cassation court about to make a decision on Catalonia's Estatut.
The definition of Catalonia as a nation forms the opening part of the the Estatut. Matters of language and jurisdiction are central to the issue and have been cause of a constant friction which many people consider can only be cured through radical surgery: amputation of the Spanish state.
The Catalan press expressed concern that Catalonia has reached a cross roads and an important decision has to made about future direction. They reiterated the feeling that for too long Catalonia has been depicted by others as the thorn in the side of a strong unified Spain and underlined the annoyance caused by the continuous lack of respect shown towards its institutions, economic infrastructure, language and cultural traditions. They also pointed out that, despite this negative treatment, Catalonia has continued to make a huge contribution to the finances of the Spanish state while receiving little fiscal benefit in return.
An important part of the concluding part of this joint declaration was a warning that nobody should underestimate the determination of the Catalan people to have a satisfactory outcome to this judicial process: 'Nobody who knows Catalonia would doubt that a recognition of its identity, improvement in its self-government, a just financial agreement and marked improvement in infrastructures are, and will continue to be, pursued with due political and social vigour.'
Tuesday 6 October 2009
200 waiters wanted
"Wanted 150 waiters and 50 room maid for four and five star hotels". Temporary employment agency Adecco noted the recovery of employment in the catering sector in Barcelona with a job offer that has registered only in very specific points of the year, mainly during the month of December, when the companies make the Christmas dinner. In this case, the offer is also to cover peak work, "but ensures the continuity of the worker in one of the hotels that are associated, because now the templates are very fair and encouraged the activity", says a spokesman for Adecco.
Friday 31 July 2009
Cyrille Gossard signs for two more years with the Catalans Dragons
Rubgy League Catalans Dragons international second row Cyrille Gossard signs today a two more years contract with the club. “I’m delighted to extend my contract with the club for the two following seasons. I’m looking forward to another two successful years with the Catalans”, said Gossard. Sebastien Munoz, footbal manager of the Catalans, added that “it is a fantastic signing for us. Cyrille became an important player in the squad and among the forwards. It’s a great player on and off the field. Last season was difficult for him with a long term injury but he’s back now to his best. I’m sure he will play to his full potential the two next seasons. It’s a great french player.”
Tuesday 14 July 2009
Concerts represent 87% of the Catalan music industry business
Live music has turned out to be the motor of the Catalan music industry, according to the Annual Conclusion of Music and Entertainment by the Group Enderrock. Last year the promoters and concert halls of Catalonia have collected seven times more money than the record labels. With a billing of about 150 millions of euros in 2008, the companies that have dedicated themselves to live music concentrate 87% of the business volume of music in Catalonia. According to Joan Roselló, president of the Association of Representatives, Promoters and Managers of Catalonia (ARC), 13 million people have been attending the 22.000 concerts last year, an amount that beats the audience of Barça, Español, the theater and dance altogehter.
Friday 10 July 2009
Settlement of offices increases in June, but rental prices drop about 10%
The settlement of offices in Barcelona has increased during the second quarter of the year, just when the rental prices in the principal zone of the city are dropping constantly up to 10% since the beginning of the year. Jordi Toboso, general director of the consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle in Catalonia, who has initiated the study, explained on Wednesday that money is beginning to reappear in the market and that something is moving forward. In addition, foreign companies have entered the market again, settling down in Barcelona and opening new offices.
Monday 6 July 2009
Ryanair receives half of the complaints against airlines
The low fare airline Ryanair has received half of the general complaints against airlines from the Catalan consumers . From January to April, the Catalan Agency of Consumption (ACC) had to face 700 complaints against airlines, 50% of them against Ryanair. Due to the general rise of complaints, the ACC has initiated a campaign of inspection of journeys contracted via internet. The director of ACC, Jordi Anguera explained that the campaign was initiated due to the fact that the sector of air transportation received the second most complaints last year, only the telephony had to face more. Most of the problems reported by the users were delays and cancellation of flights, problems with luggage and the collection of hidden fees and taxes.
Friday 3 July 2009
Residents of Sun Village appeal for help to avoid the demolition of their houses
The 42 owners of the houses of Sun Village in Palau-Saverdera ask the institutions for help to avoid the demolition of their homes. At a press conference in Girona on Wednesday, the president of the Neighbours Community of Sun Village Hans van Schaick and the spokesman Juan Manuel García Ortega expressed their worries about the future of their homes. The Federal Court of Justice of Catalonia has forced the council of Palau- Saverdera to destroy the houses of Sun Village until Octobre. In September 2001 the Council of Palau-Saverdera granted the licence to build the houses of Sun Village but at the end of the same year, a resident of the locality brought an action against this building licence, claiming that the houses overtopped the maximum height permitted. In September 2006 the Federal Court of Justice decreed a decision annulling the building licence and ordering the demolition of Sun Village.
Tuesday 30 June 2009
MACBA offers four summer concerts in the context of the Nights of MACBA
The Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona (MACBA) offers the opportunity to visit and experience its exhibitions in a different format: MACBA has extended its opening time to midnight every Thursday and Friday until the 18th of September. There will be a reduced price for tickets of 3,50 Euros for visting the whole museum, as well as many guided tours included in the entrance fee. In addition, in this context the MACBA is going to present the cycle of summer concerts Post-rock? throughout July, which is part of the programm of the concerts of the Festival Grec 2009. On the other hand one of the terraces on the 1st floor of the museum will be turned into the summer bar, with the same opening time, but remaining open until the 24th of September.Monday 29 June 2009
2.000 people demonstrate against gene-modified products
Yesterday 2.ooo people demonstrated in Barcelona against the cultivation of gene-modified products and demanded an advance concerning the application of a law to stop the cultivation of transgenic products in Catalonia, opposed by the PSC, CIU and PP. With the slogan "Democracy, health and good food" the demonstration moved from Plaza Cataluña to the Parliament, where they had to face a confrontation with the police trying to stop them. The cook Santi Santamaria, who headed the demonstration, read a manifest from professionals of the gastronomy, alimentation and health sector, claiming the need of a model for agricultural food based on an organic and artisan local production that is eco-friendly and respects the varieties and distinct culture.
Friday 26 June 2009
Ceremony in honour of Narcís Monturiol in the Catalan Parliament
Today a ceremony in honour of Narcís Monturiol will take place in the Catalan Parliament to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first dive of the submarine Ictineu. Amongst others Sr. Joan Manel Tresserras i Gaju, Minister of Culture and Media and Sr. Ernest Benach i Pascual, President of the Catalan Parliament will take part in the ceremony, as well as representatives from important institutions like the Institute Ictineu, the Catalan Centre for Submarine Research and the Institut d'Estudis Catalans IEC. On June 28th 150 years ago at the port of Barcelona, for the first time a submarine dived into the ocean and sailed without incidents.
Thursday 25 June 2009
Playwright Pau Miró completes trilogy about wild animals
The playwright and director Pau Miró has successfully completed his trilogy about wild animals. His recent creation called "giraffe" will be performed during the Festival Grec in Barcelona from 2 to 5th of July. Within one year Miró has initiated three plays and has completed the trilogy that takes place in a laundry in the district of Raval where the characters identify with wild animals. The play is set in the fifties and deals with the limitations of the Franquismo. It shows how the characters turn to a silent fantasy to get over their frustration.
Tuesday 23 June 2009
Safe celebration of Sant Joan with less firecrackers
The main objective of the governmental campaign this year is to avoid minors to encounter with powerful pyrotechnic articles. Last year 269 people in Catalonia have been injured in the night of Sant Joan, the majority of them were minors who had launched firecrackers that were prohibited for their age. The campaign of this years celebration of Sant Joan therefore wants to sensibilize the points of sale and the parents to the high danger of the powerful pyrotechnic articles and that they may only be launched by people older than eighteen years. To raise the peoples awareness of the danger of firework, about ten thousand placards have been distributed among schools and youth centres, district offices and points of sale throughout Catalonia. These placards contain general advices how to avoid accidents with pyrotechnic articles.
Monday 22 June 2009
Privalia increases staff with 110 employees, 50 of them in Barcelona
This year, the internet sales label Privalia will increase their staff with 100 employees. Currently the company employs 150 people in Barcelona, 30 in Milan (Italy) and 30 in Sao Paolo (Brasil). Privalia has specialised in selling fashion and sportswear but they are receiving many offers for selling other things that have been affected by the crisis, like cars or apartments. With a market share of 34 % an 1,5 million clients in Spain, Brasil and Italy, Privalia is the leading company of the club of private purchases in Spain. At the end of the year, the staff in Barcelona will comprise 200 people and the company will move to a bigger building due to space limitation.
Thursday 18 June 2009
Guitar festival starts with series of concerts in the area of Girona
The VI. Girona Guitar Festival directed by Josep Manzano will start today with a free concert by Maurizio di Fulvio Trio in the Casa de Cultura of Girona. Most of the concerts will take place in different locations around the Costa Brava such as Begur, Tossa de Mar and Palamós from July to August. For the first time the festival will be divided into three sets of concerts. One part will take place in the old town of Girona, another in the church of Santa Maria de Fenals, and finally there will be three concerts in the Casa de Cultura in Llança. There will be international artists performing, as well as important Catalan guitarists.
Monday 8 June 2009
Campgrounds in the area of Girona confront 10% less bookings
The bookings for campgrounds in the area of Girona are delayed in regard to other seasons and the camping sector assumes 10% less bookings on average compared to the last year. The association of camping advised the campgrounds not to react with a reduction of prices, as this could affect the quality of the complete offer of campgrounds, which is among the most recognized in Europe. There are 144 campgrounds in the area of Girona and 40 % of them are first class.
Friday 5 June 2009
Zapatero and Montilla stage reconciliation after one year of alienation
The Spanish president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero promises to maintain a just financing for Catalunya and calls to defeat the right wing party in the elections of 7th June. After one year of alienation, above all because of the default of financing, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and José Montilla yesterday staged the reconciliation at the final convention of the campaign of the Catalan Socialists in the facilities of Mar Bella in front of 5.000 people. All this took place prior to the European elections to defeat the PP, that shows an advantage in the surveys. Zapatero assured Montilla of working "shoulder to shoulder" and guaranteed him their support in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Catalunya.
Thursday 4 June 2009
Tomb of famous pharao Tutankamón comes to Barcelona
Tutankamón, the tomb and its treasures. Thats the name of the exhibition that will open for the public in the Maritime Museum of Barcelona this saturday. The exhibition, produced and organized in Germany, recreates the tomb of the most famous pharao of Ancient Egypt, Tutankamón. Almost one hundred Egyptian artisans have worked on rebuilding the pharao with every detail. The exhibition will open its doors in Barcelona until the 6th of September, continuing its unstoppable international circuit with already thousands of visitors in towns like Zurich or Munich. People have the opportunity to experience the sensational discovery of the tomb by the English archeologist Howard Carter in 1922.
Tuesday 2 June 2009
Renting an apartment is 19% cheaper due to the decline of sales and more offers
The price of homes for sale continues to fall but shows signs of stabilisation in some communities. The current difficulty to sell apartments has caused that a great part of the stock is offered for rent with a loss of the rental prices of 19% in the area of Girona within the last half of the year. According to the last study of market prices of the Association of Promoters and Constructors Girona and Real Estate Agents, the development of homes for sale also shows a general decline, although in some towns like Blanes or Roses a stabilisation emerges. All this is related to a drop of demand due to the economic crisis. Regarding the rental prices of the two-bedroom apartments, the largest price drop was detected in Lloret with 14,9 %, whereas referring to homes with three bedrooms, Roses is the town with the most significant decline (19%).
Monday 1 June 2009
Festival of dance collects money for an NGO working with disadvantaged Christians in Egypt
A festival of classical Egyptian Dance, organized for the second year in Barcelona, yesterday offered a variety of captivating melodies, colors and festive rhythms. The aim of the festival organized by the association Aida Danza Oriental is to collect money for a NGO south of Cairo to provide socially disadvantaged Christians. The assistance of the NGO is mainly for economical and health demands, as the population has to face a big threat by hepatitis C. In the first year of the festival 2.000 euros have been collected, an amount they would like to achieve as well this year.
Friday 29 May 2009
Primavera Sound launches its most intense and exultant edition
Yesterday The vaselinas and Yo La Tengo opened the ninth edition of the Primavera Sound festival, where 130 groups will go on stage until Saturday. The six locations in the Forum Park already attracted 20.000 visitors on the first day and thousands more are being expected this weekend. The Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona, together with the Sonar, is the most famous festival of rock, pop and electric music in Catalunya. This year people even received free plugs for the ears as a remedy to listen to the famous rock group My bloody Valentine, known for its great passion for the noise.
Thursday 28 May 2009
Neighbours promote a commemorative plaque for Catalan poet and literary critic Manent
The people living in the district of Raval campaigned for the placement of a commemorative plaque dedicated to the poet, literary critic and translator Marià Manent on the façade of the house where he was born and had lived the early years of his life. Yesterday the revelation of the plaque took place within the scope of his family, neighbours and friends, announced the delegate of culture of the city of Barcelona, Jordi Martí. Roser Manent, the daughter of Marià Manent said that it was an honour to see, that even twenty years after his death her father was still remembered.
Catalans make more claims for loans and fees because of the crisis
In the first quarter of 2009, the number of requests for loans to the Agencia Catalana de Consumo (ACC) has increased up to 42%. In 2008 the number of inquiries had already increased by 51%. Especially the information technology has to face a great amount of complaints, as 43% of last years complaints were in the sector of telephony and internet. Jordi Anguera, director of the ACC claimed yesterday, that 2008 has been a difficult year, as all indicators related to consumption have fallen. He said that people have changed their consumer behaviour and are more aware and demanding.
Wednesday 27 May 2009
Catalan government to give $ 500 for buying vehicles that cost up to 49.000
Yesterday the government passed the Catalan plan for the direct aid to the purchase of a new, low-polluting car. The Catalans will receive discounts of 2.000 euros for the purchase of a vehicle up to 30.000 euros with the aim to limit the CO2 emissions. For purchasing a vehicle up to 49.000 euros with higher emissions, people will receive $ 500. The condition to obtain the discount is to scrap a more polluting vehicle with more than 250.000 kilometers or older than 10 years. The principal aim is to induce people to purchase low-polluting cars to sustainably reduce the CO2 emissions.
Tuesday 26 May 2009
Festival Tàrraco Viva claims the biggest audience of the first weekend since its beginnings
The roman festival Tàrraco Viva started with the biggest audience on the first weekend since the first edition. Not only citizens from Tarragona visited the festival, but the organisation of Tàrraco Viva could also claim an increasing number of visitors from other parts of Catalunya and from other european countries. The festival represents the former life and history of the romans, as well as its customs and literature. Magí Seritjol, the coordinator of the festival, explained that in the future the organistaion would like to attract even more people from european countries.
