Missing Tamara's News Clips

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The Navy, the Air Force and the Rescue Department participate in a drill in Lobos
The exercise takes place on Wednesday in waters near the islet and will simulate the rescue of a tourist boat and an episode of marine pollution
This will require "close collaboration between different agencies and institutions so that predetermined emergency plans, at different levels, are established most fluidly and effectively possible, making use of all available means."

In this scenario, the participation of all the bodies that in a real situation would take part in the resolution of the emergency is foreseen, including the Maritime Captaincy of Las Palmas, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (SASEMAR), the General Directorate of Emergencies of the Government of the Canary Islands, the Canary Islands Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC), the 802nd SAR Squadron of the Air and Space Force, Emergency and Security Group (GES), RED CROSS, CECOES 112, Canary Islands Emergency Service (SUC), Cabildo de Fuerteventura Civil Protection, Canary Islands Ports, the Navy (Maritime Action Ship "Rayo" and Canary Islands Diving Unit), Emergency Service and Local Police of the City Council of La Oliva.

Likewise, there will be the participation of the ship Celia Cruz, which will trigger the exercise as a damaged ship and the company CTN-Marine Technology Centre, which will help in the prediction of the movement of oil spills.

"Undoubtedly, this exercise will be a challenge of coordinating the actions of different agencies while the activation of different local, regional, and national emergency plans takes place," says the organization.

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The Canary Islands must have the powers to decide what happens on their coasts
"Now we have to wait to resolve the Conflict of Competences raised by this Government of the Canary Islands to defend our people, to defend that they are tired of being protected by the State," says the Majorera deputy


The deputy of the Canarian Nationalist Parliamentary Group (CC), Jana González Alonso, spoke in the Plenary Session of the Parliament of the Canary Islands to address the importance of acquiring competences in matters of coasts in the archipelago. "The Canary Islands must have the competence to decide what happens on their coasts," he said in his speech.

Likewise, the Majorera deputy criticized the situation derived from the political decisions of Ángel Víctor Torres, which affect the citizens, especially the workers of the hotel complexes affected by the Coastal Law, as well as the residents of the town of Los Molinos in Fuerteventura, after receiving the announcements of demolition orders.

"From that moment on, this Government of the Canary Islands has been trying to sit down and negotiate this real and effective transfer of powers for the Canary Islands," said the Majorera deputy, who regretted that on February 29, the order to demolish the hotel was announced by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.

The nationalist deputy clarified that it was the same hotel "to which a few months earlier the authorization to carry out works had been granted by the Pact of the Flowers, with Torres at the helm."

Likewise, Jana González questioned the way in which the Government of the Spanish State proceeded for acting "without political consensus, without willingness to sit down with the agents involved or with the public administrations such as the City Council of La Oliva and the Cabildo of Fuerteventura".

"Now we have to wait to resolve the Conflict of Competences raised by this Government of the Canary Islands to defend our people, to defend that they are tired of being protected by the State," said the deputy.

During his speech, González Alonso detailed the actions of the current Minister of Territorial Policy, who is now responsible for the transfer of powers. "Time will tell if Ángel Víctor Torres did something for the Canary Islands in Madrid, if it was an opportunity or a waste of time for this land," said the parliamentarian.

In this regard, the deputy pointed out that, first, the former president of the Canary Islands Ángel Víctor Torres was the one who negotiated the transfer of powers during the mandate of the Pact of Flowers. "On April 18, the former president requested a subcommittee to resume the transfer of powers because he considered that they had not been carried out completely," explained Jana González.

However, in May, prior to elections, he authorized the carrying out of works in a hotel complex that is affected by the limits of coasts, based on poorly transferred powers "as he himself had announced," clarified the parliamentarian of the nationalist group.

In September 2023, these works were paralyzed by the High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands "due to legal doubts about the competences," González added. As mentioned above, the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge issued the order to demolish the hotel to which months earlier it had granted a permit to carry out works on the tourist complex.

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Agonane protests against the 1,000-bed "macro hotel" being built in Corralejo
The environmental group maintains that the carrying capacity of the town has been exceeded and requests that the construction license be paralyzed

The City Council pockets 1.4 million euros for the new hotel in Corralejo

Representatives of Agonane-Ecologists in Action, a collective that is part of the environmental groups that convened the 20-A and is on the platform 'Canarias PALANTE' and 'Canarias se exhaust', went to the Council of Citizen Participation of the City of La Oliva and protested against the "macro hotel" of 1,000 beds that they have approved in Corralejo.

"The councilors of La Oliva say that if they do not vote in favour of a 1,000-bed hotel of a millionaire Galician businessman at the expense of the destruction of beautiful places such as El Castillo, with the Elba hotels, they would be prevaricating, which has all the reports in its favour," says the environmental group.

"We ask ourselves if leaving your people without health due to the collapse of the health infrastructures is not prevarication" or if "endangering education with a ratio that there is no one who can stand it for students, teachers or mothers, is not prevaricating," they add.

"the fact that there is no housing or rents for the residents or natives of Corralejo is not prevaricating". Or "that bathing on the beach is endangered by sewage or brine spills in the area is not prevaricating."

Environmentalists, who criticise the destruction of "the promised sustainability", denounce the continued commitment "to a completely uncertain economic model that endangers lives and has led to a brutal increase in heat waves".

As well as "that there is no drinking water for the people and there is for tourism" or that they occupy the territory "with wind turbines and high voltage pylons because we have to continue increasing energy production to give meaning to the macro hotels".

In his opinion, "the carrying capacity of Corralejo has been greatly exceeded" and that there are "three times as many tourists as residents".

For all these reasons, Agonane has asked politicians that "for the good of society and their own families and neighbors, they paralyze the license of the 1,000-bed macro hotel".

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The president of Gran Canaria "is not going to allow" the energy of Salto de Chira to reach Fuerteventura and Lanzarote
Antonio Morales rejects the possibility of an underwater connection between Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura, which forms a single electricity system with Lanzarote.

The president of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, Antonio Morales, rejected on Tuesday the idea that the renewable energy generated on his island would be transferred to others in the future by installing connections with them for this purpose, a proposal by politicians from other institutions that he has denied will be carried out: "We are not going to allow it".

In his opinion, this would imply "that Gran Canaria assumes the impact of the energy transition on its territory so that others can then boast of keeping theirs intact at our expense", as it does not need to occupy more territory to guarantee the electricity supply, said Morales.

After publicly presenting a draft of the island's Energy Transition Agenda for 2040 promoted by the corporation he presides, Morales wanted to make clear the circumstance that his leaders are "concerned about some statements that we can read from time to time, from heads of other administrations", predicting the implementation of this electricity transfer.

And he has chosen to warn that the Gran Canaria Cabildo will not admit, as he has detailed, "certain things that we have heard lately, such as that Fuerteventura and Lanzarote will take advantage of the surpluses of the Salto de Chira, thanks to a future interconnection between Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura" that will make it possible to send to these Islands the energy that is projected to be generated from the force of water in facilities that are currently under construction.

Since, first of all, "we are not going to have the energy to spare", and, in addition, "from our point of view, each island must assume its decarbonisation commitments" by promoting the development of the infrastructures that are necessary to achieve this, he argued.

He added that, in fact, his corporation plans to "take advantage of everything" that is generated, using the eventual production surpluses that will come into existence, if necessary, as a force to manufacture hydrogen and, in this way, contribute even more to the change towards a less polluting and more sustainable energy model that all public administrations claim to be committed to.

All this within the framework of a policy that was developed over the "more than eight years that we have been governing the Cabildo de Gran Canaria", has been distinguished by "the commitment to a more sustainable future", he said.

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CENTRAL GOVERNMENT CALLS MEETING WITH ALL REGIONS OF SPAIN TO ADDRESS HOLIDAY HOMES.

The Central Government calls a meeting with all regions of Spain to address holiday homes
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The Ministry of Housing has summoned all regional governments for a sectoral conference this Friday morning to address the issue of holiday lets and tourist rental apartments. This will be the first sectoral meeting focused exclusively on this growing problem, according to sources from the department headed by Isabel Rodríguez.

Minister Rodríguez has supported limiting holiday rental licences in high-demand areas while respecting regional competencies. She recently announced her intention to meet with the regional governments, alongside the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, to discuss the issue, which is straining the residential housing market.

"I do not want to encroach on their competencies, but this is my concern because it is straining the residential market and the right to access affordable housing," Rodríguez stated in a recent interview.

The Ministry aims to regulate the sector with a "scalpel" approach, considering territorial diversity. In this context, the government is paying attention to EU directives, as the European Court of Justice has acknowledged the need to address this issue and opened the possibility for market intervention.

While acknowledging that the rise in holiday and seasonal rentals is reducing residential housing availability in major cities and tourist areas, the Bank of Spain cautions against imposing limitations without considering their economic impact. The bank estimates a deficit of 600,000 new homes needed in Spain by 2027 to meet expected demand.

Exceltur (the Alliance for Tourism Excellence) reports a significant surge in tourist apartments at the beginning of the year, with an increase of 60,000 units (25.2%) in the 25 main cities in Spain, totalling 285,266. Madrid and Barcelona lead with 59,111 (29.8%) and 41,681 (11.8%) respectively, followed by Málaga with 32,468 (29.9%).

Canary Islands Prepare New Legislation
In the Canary Islands, the regional government is preparing a law on holiday rentals. Presented in early April, the draft does not include incentives for owners to convert tourist properties to residential use, nor does it create teams to monitor the irregular market or impose exclusive taxes on owners.

The draft law delegates most regulatory responsibilities to municipalities, which must set a maximum number of licenses so that tourist apartments do not exceed 10% of the total municipal building capacity.

However, some areas already exceed 20%, and many zones do not reach the 10% threshold, not accounting for people renting them illegally, which would significantly increase numbers in many areas of the islands.

Since the announcement of this draft law, applications for new holiday homes have surged from about 50 daily to over 70, a 40% increase. Consequently, political parties and unions have called for a moratorium on license issuance until the law takes effect, a proposal rejected by the regional government, which denies any "pull effect." Regional President Fernando Clavijo has stated that municipalities can impose a moratorium at their discretion.

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Allegations presented for the third permit to investigate and explore rare earths in Fuerteventura.
The Island Corporation has already submitted the allegations to the three requested projects, which in total would add up to 45 square kilometers of the island territory



The Cabildo of Fuerteventura has presented this Wednesday, May 22, the allegations to the third permit to investigate and exploit rare earths in Fuerteventura. In this case, it is a project that affects 25 square kilometers of the municipality of La Oliva, being the largest of the authorizations presented and occupying almost 10 percent of the municipality.

The reports that have been prepared by different services of the Cabildo and autonomous bodies warn that the project is incompatible with the development plans and with the landscape, natural, heritage values and the health and well-being of people.

For the island's president, Lola García, "from the Cabildo of Fuerteventura our position is clear and remains the same: we are radically against any type of research or extraction of rare earths on our island".

In this sense, Lola García points out that the allegations have already been presented to the three projects requested in Fuerteventura: Tenáridos FV-02 P.I. Opáres, Tenáridos-FV-03 P.I Verode and Tenáridos FV-01 PI. Muley). In this way, Lola García makes it clear that "we do not want mining activity in Fuerteventura either by the companies, or by the ITC, or by any other body. This has been expressed by citizens, city councils and the Cabildo, since it goes against the well-being of the people and the socioeconomic model that we want for our island."

Allegations

The proposed area affects protected natural areas such as the Montaña de Tindaya Natural Monument and the Vallebrón Protected Landscape. Core and buffer areas of the Biosphere Reserve, areas of the Natura 2000 Network and the Special Protection Areas for Birds (SPA) of Lajares, Esquinzo and the Jarubio coast would be damaged.

Specifically, it would affect one of the main areas for the reproduction of threatened species such as the houbara, the guirre or the Majorera owl, among other birds. The drilling would also be incompatible with the protection of heritage assets and geological values of the area such as the Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC) of

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CANARY ISLANDS PARLIAMENT BACKS THE USE OF CANNABIS FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES.

The Parliament of the Canary Islands has approved a Non-Legislative Proposal (PNL) supporting the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. This initiative aims to further the development and establishment of the medicinal cannabis industry in the Canary Islands, advocating for the recognition of its active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).

The proposal also urges the Canary Islands Government to request that the Spanish Government adhere to the recommendations of the Health and Consumer Affairs Subcommittee regarding the regulation of cannabis APIs for pharmaceutical use. It encourages scientific research and proposes the archipelago as a hub for the industry’s development.

Raúl Acosta, the spokesperson for Grupo Mixta and defender of the proposal, emphasised the arguments in favour of a decisive push for the cultivation and exploitation of medicinal cannabis in the Canary Islands. He said that this initiative could diversify the local economy, create synergies across various sectors, and offer alternatives to declining traditional agricultural practices.

Acosta pointed out that the primary sector in the Canary Islands could be closely linked to pharmaceutical and botanical research in a highly attractive circular economy model. Besides the medicinal flowers, the entire plant could be used for bioconstruction materials, paper, and even plastic alternatives.

The region’s favorable climate allows for outdoor cannabis cultivation, ensuring higher quality APIs for pharmaceutical use and potentially yielding up to six annual harvests per hectare, surpassing the average production in other regions.

Cristina Calero from the Canarian Nationalist Group highlighted that the medicinal use of cannabis dates back over 5,000 years, voting in favour of enhanced research through facilities like the Hospital Universitario de Canarias (HUC) and the Canary Institute of Agricultural Research (ICIA).

Mónica Muñoz from the PP party highlighted that cannabis contains over 100 cannabinoids, with THC and CBD being particularly beneficial for improving the quality of life for patients with various ailments. Ignoring these benefits contradicts the majority of the scientific community, which supports cannabis for alleviating chronic and neuropathic pain.

ASG deputy Melodie Mendoza endorsed the PNL, emphasising the dual positive effects of cannabinoids. Yone Caraballo from NC-BC praised the proposal for its potential to produce effective non-addictive pain medications and promote the primary sector in the islands.

PSOE deputy Tamara Raya supported the initiative, stating that regulation is preferable to the current lack of sanitary and economic control over these products, and stressing that cannabis use extends beyond recreational smoking.

Finally, Marta Gómez justified Vox’s opposition, the only party against it, by referencing a similar proposal rejected in 2022 by their party in the Spanish Congress, maintaining consistency with their stance.

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CANARY ISLANDS TO APPEAL TO EU FOR RESTRICTION ON PROPERTY PURCHASES BY NON-RESIDENTS.

Canary Islands to appeal to EU for restriction on property purchases by non-residents
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The Canary Islands Government plans to request that the European Union (EU) permit restrictions on the purchase of housing by non-residents. Despite the archipelago’s status as an Outermost Region (RUP), which allows for various exemptions, the EU has yet to consider this demand.

The regional government argues that this measure is necessary to address the housing crisis declared by the local administration, however, opposition parties have criticised this approach, suggesting that the true issue lies in the lack of social housing construction, which they argue the government has also neglected.

Pablo Rodríguez, the Canary Islands' Public Works Minister, highlighted the impossibility of replicating the housing construction rates seen before 2008 due to limited land and capacity. Previously, the islands saw up to 30,000 homes built annually, but recent years have only seen around 3,000 annually, which is insufficient to meet current housing demands.

In 2023, nearly 30% of housing purchases in Tenerife were made by non-residents, and 20% for the rest of the islands. Rodríguez noted that these statistics are particularly concerning given the housing emergency, making the situation "truly worrying." This has placed the Canary Islands among the top three Spanish regions where foreign buyers are most active, primarily from the EU.

The Canary Islands' legal team is preparing a case to request that the EU allow limitations on property purchases by non-residents, similar to restrictions in Malta, Denmark, and Finland’s Åland Islands. These regions negotiated their exceptions before joining the EU, a luxury not afforded to newer members. Other regions in France, Italy, and Belgium have attempted similar measures but faced EU rejection. In 2023, Spain denied the Balearic Islands' request to restrict foreign property purchases.

Carlos Alonso, the Canary Coalition's candidate for the European Parliament, outlined three potential strategies to advance this proposal. The first involves fiscal measures, as personal income tax and environmental balance fees are not fully harmonised across the EU.

The second strategy leverages the EU treaty chapter on freedom, which allows for restrictions on capital movement or establishment for overriding public interest reasons. The third strategy, referred to as the "Malta route," involves invoking Article 25 of Spain's EU accession act, which permits modifications to the Canary Islands' integration regime under specific conditions.

Francesca Dalboni, the European Commission’s financial spokesperson, stated that the EU generally prohibits restrictions on capital movements related to real estate purchases by non-resident EU nationals. However, exceptions can be justified for public order, public security, or imperative public interest reasons, as acknowledged by the EU Court of Justice.

Rodríguez emphasized the distortion of the real estate market and expressed hope for support from both the EU and the Spanish state in addressing this exceptional situation.

The Canary Islands' proposal to the EU will focus on three key points: requiring a minimum residency period to purchase property, necessitating prior authorisation for purchases, and implementing fiscal and tax measures.

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John:- and on a more upbeat note

WARNING OF AN ABNORMALLY HOT SUMMER COMING TO THE CANARY ISLANDS.

Warning of an abnormally hot summer coming to the Canary Islands
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The Canary Islands are preparing for an exceptionally hot summer, with forecasts indicating temperature anomalies significantly above the seasonal average. Last year, the archipelago experienced its hottest summer on record.

Eltiempo.es reports that June, July, and August are expected to bring higher-than-normal temperatures June is anticipated to have slightly above-average temperatures, and the summer will also see increased rainfall, despite June typically being a stormy month.

Last year, the Canary Islands experienced their hottest summer since records began in 1961 with temperatures reaching up to 46.2°C, which led to the deaths of 81 people linked to heat-related symptoms.

The islands recorded 200 temperature records across various Weather stations, including 71 for the highest monthly average temperature, 63 for the highest average maximum temperature, 76 for the highest average minimum temperature, and 28 for the highest absolute maximum temperature.

The average temperature last summer was 24.5 °C, 1.8 degrees higher than usual. The islands experienced two hot spells in June and July, followed by two heat waves in August, making it the hottest August on record for the Canary Islands.

The heat was most intense in Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura, with temperature anomalies of +1.8 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, Tenerife, La Gomera, El Hierro, and La Palma experienced a slightly lower anomaly of +1.4 degrees Celsius. Neither province set new record highs.

The islands experienced numerous “tropical” nights throughout the summer, where temperatures didn’t fall below 20°C. Additionally, 10% of Weather stations recorded “hellish” nights, with temperatures not dropping below 30°C.

Rainfall was significantly above average, making it the second wettest summer on record for the Canary Islands. Storm Oscar in June contributed nearly 17 litres per square metre, five times the expected amount for the month. July saw normal rainfall levels, while August was 24% wetter than usual, resulting in an average of 20.3 litres per square metre over the entire summer, nearly four times the usual amount (+276%).

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The African community demands the implementation of the maritime line between Puerto del Rosario and Tarfaya.
Demonstrators unfurled several banners with the slogans "We are close to Africa but isolated" or "A three-hour journey is made in three days"


More than a hundred people gathered this Friday to demand the imminent launch of the maritime line from Fuerteventura to Tarfaya, at the gates of the headquarters of the General State Administration in Puerto del Rosario.

The African community is demanding the resumption of the line between Puerto del Rosario and Tarfaya, which was operational between 2007 and 2008 but was interrupted when the ferry Assalama, owned by Naviera Armas, ran aground off the Moroccan coast.

At the event, several banners were unfurled with the slogans "Yes to the Tarfaya ship", "We are close to Africa but isolated" or "A trip that could be made in three hours is done in three days".


Socialist MP Luc André Diouf Dioh attended this rally as a member of the African community and called for the opening of this "essential connection to unite the two shores".

Diouf added that even if it is with Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, or any part of Africa, this ship is necessary, to link Fuerteventura with the African continent.

Luc André insisted on the doubts about the transport of goods that "there will be control" since "we are within the European Union".

The socialist deputy, of Senegalese origin, recalled that it is not acceptable that Africans and the rest of the citizens who live in Fuerteventura and the Canary Islands, to go to the mainland, have to take three days when they can do it in three hours from the island of Fuerteventura, with a direct maritime connection. "We are going to work to unite and bring the African continent and Europe closer together," he concluded.

The president of the Moroccan Sands Association, Sana Chehaib, said that many political parties, businessmen and citizens support this maritime line because it generates economy, and progress and strengthens the cultural ties between the two cities.

"We want it to be implemented as soon as possible and we ask political representatives to work to prevent its abandonment due to the fear of pests and other problems, which can be solved with the relevant controls," he said.

In his opinion, Fuerteventura cannot continue to turn its back on Morocco, being the Canary Islands closest to the African continent. "For 14 years we have been working on the possibility of such a line, and we are currently asking for more effort and more commitment, both on the Moroccan side and on the Canary Islands side so that this great project goes ahead for the benefit of all," said Sana.

Representatives of the Arab community of Lanzarote, such as the imam of the Arrecife Mosque, Mohammed Ahmed, and the president of the Moroccan Roots Association of Lanzarote, Abdellah Eddib, also attended this rally.

"For us, this line is essential to be able to visit our relatives in Morocco, at lower prices and without wasting as much time as we currently suffer traveling via Algeciras, a trip in which we all suffer, especially children," Eddib stressed.

Numerous members of the Arab community living in Fuerteventura recalled the importance of this line not only for the population but also for the social, cultural, and economic integration of both territories. "We ask that it be safe and that it bring progress and friendship between the two peoples," they concluded. "Many Moroccan families and African countries live in the Canary Islands", so they stressed that "this maritime line is needed more than ever".