The new year is almost upon us and, after a year of price rises, tax hikes and new charges, 2013 is due to start with another barrage of increases. Electricity goes up by 3%, commuter and middle distance train fares up by an average 3%, postage up by 2.7%, intercity bus tickets up by 6% and Telefonica can now increase …
Strikes at Paradors set to go ahead
A meeting in Madrid between the management of the Network of Paradors and unions failed to produce an agreement and planned strikes by workers will take place on December 31st 2012 and January 1st 2013.
Price of butane gas will not increase on January 1st 2013
Any good news is welcome these days, and there is some as the price of butane gas and LPG will not rise as from January 1st 2013. Electricity, on the other hand, is due to go up by around 3%.
Minimum wage to increase as from January 1st 2013
The Government is proposing to raise the minimum wage, frozen in 2012, from €641.40 to €645.30 per month, an increase of 0.6%, as from January 1st 2013. With VAT having risen anywhere between 3% and 17% and inflation at 2.9%, some are describing the increase as ‘out of place’.
Electricity cost to go up by 3% on January 1st 2013
The cost of electricity is set to rise on January 1st 2013, the TUR ‘Tariff of Last Resort’ going up by around 3%. In addition, users with contracted power consumption of 3 to 10 kilowatts who exceed that figure by more than 10% face a surcharge of between 1% and 8% on their electricity bill.
Eibar 1-1 Málaga
Second Division B minnows Eibar, who have already knocked out Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey, put on another great performance against Málaga last night in their fifth round first leg tie. An injury time strike from Onyewu levelled the score at 1-1 after Eibar had taken the lead through Añibarro.
Increase in legal fees comes into effect today
The new law on court fees comes into effect today, Monday, following the publication in the Official Gazette (BOE) on Saturday of the Ministerial Order regulating the assessment and collection of such fees.
House prices still falling
House prices in Andalucia fell during the third quarter by 12.8% when compared to the same period in 2011, which was below the national average of 15.2%. In Spain as a whole, the price of new houses was down 13.6% and used houses were down by 16.4%, both these figures being records.
Hotel occupancy expected to be relatively low in December
So far, people appear to be staying at home for the Constitution Day ‘puente’ with hotel occupancy forecast to average between 45% and 50% in Andalucia. Cities like Córdoba, Granada and Sevilla could see a rate of 60%, whereas in the coastal cities, such as Málaga, it is only expected to be in the region of 30% to 40%.
Unemployment up by 1.5% in November
The number of officially registered unemployed rose in November by 74,296, up by 1.5% on October to bring the total of those officially out of work to 4,907,817 , a new record. Of the 74,296 increase, 23.553 are located in Andalucia.