Solidaridad

There's an arresting looking picture that is on the blogspot for the CEM, http://ciudadanoseuropeosdemojacar.blogspot.com . If you don't vote, then you can't complain! The local elections are upon us and it is important that the foreign residents who have the vote inform themselves about the different parties on offer (most foreigners can vote - those from the European Union plus the Norwegians, who are over 18 and on the padrón).

The CEM is a local party, as its name suggests, just for Mojácar. With enough support, there will at last be European councillors in the Mojácar town hall.

Bah Humbug

So why would the increasingly soviet government of Zapatero push through its ‘most important piece of legislation’ just now, after two years of running the country? The legislation in question is to give women equal rights (very laudable). However, to produce this new set of rules just now, just before the local elections of May 27th, when one of the points is that women should hold at least 40% of the list of every and any party. That's cynical.
Wonderful, say the women, who will immediately award a gold star to the socialists.
It’s only fair, say the men, who will give a silver star to the socialists.
In fact, it’s absurd. The voter will vote according to his conviction. A party without any women candidates won’t receive much support from the general public - anywhere in the Christian world.
To manipulate the very voting process is vile and disgraceful. A group will select the best and most qualified people they can – regardless of sex.
Hey Mr Zap, what about women priests or female Masons? How about female footballers (forty per cent of Real Madrid would be nice). Are you going to move against them as well?
There is an answer to those political groups who had prepared ahead of this idiotic new law and are a bit top heavy with the men – you can now declare yourself a woman without a ‘snip’ or indeed a psychologist.
Yes, in soviet Spain, that’s a perfectly legal solution.

Whatever You Want

Batasuna advierte al Gobierno: 'Sin Navarra no queremos nada' The title says that Batasuna, the 'socialist', nationalist (and illegal) party that is the political wing of the ETA wants to add Navarra - an independent state with little interest in either Marxism or rebellion - into its fold or 'no deal'. Now the government is falling over backwards to be able to say to the voters - 'look, we have tamed ETA!' and, to this end, has allowed a terrorist called Iñaki de Juana Chaos to be sent from his prison sick-bed to a hospital in the Basque Country and from there to home detention once his health improves from his long and agonising hunger strike (remember Bobby Sands). Iñaki is remembered for having murdered 25 people in his heyday.
The Basque extremists reckon that - since Navarra was not only part of the Basque Country from 1006 to 1035, together with three French provinces - it should be returned as part of a package. Furthermore, they think that Pamplona (the capital of both Navarra and the right-wing Opus Dei catholic organisation) must be the capital of this new, Marxist state.
And Zapatero wants to talk to these people.
Encouraged by events, ten prisoners in Almeria's unpleasant prison El Acebuche have now said that they will go on a hunger strike until they are sent home to Mum.
In other news, the president's new (written) nickname comes from how you pronounce ZP in Spanish which is 'zeta pe' or rather ZETAP. Very clever...!

Pamplona will be the host of a public protest against the neighbouring nationalists' claims of annexation on Saturday 17th March. The ZP govt. doesn't think we should go...