- Home » Expat News » Mystery fortune found in Mijas town hall coffers raises suspicion
Mystery fortune found in Mijas town hall coffers raises suspicion
| Published: | 26 Oct at 6 PM |
Want to get involved?
Become a Featured Expat and take our interview.
Become a Local Expert and contribute articles.
Get in touch today!
Become a Local Expert and contribute articles.
Get in touch today!
Tagged: Money, The Netherlands
Expats living in the Costa del Sol resort of Mijas have discovered the local council is sitting on funds of about €64 million but aren’t doing anything to spruce up the town.
Mijas town hall is now the subject of demands from expats to deal with urgent local issues after it was revealed the authority is sitting on €64 million of unspent cash. A protest group has been formed, all of whom have their own suggestions on how the small town could be improved for its residents, both expats and locals.
One focus of expat anger was the plight of local donkeys, which don’t even have a basic shelter to shield them from the blazing hot summer sun. Batting on behalf of the donkey population is Dutch local Edith Farminer, who considers the lack of care for the animals a total disgrace. She believes doing nothing to help the donkeys is ruining people’s perception of the town.
Her call to action was supported by Brit expat Suzann Hughes, who’s angry the river hasn’t been dredged and cleaned in years in spite of locals using its waters as a rubbish tip. Other complaints include a much-needed improvement in disabled access across the town, and everyone involved is furious about such a huge chunk of money not being used to improve the environment and the services the town hall provides to its residents.
Former local Mijas mayor Angel Nozal is as amazed at the size of the windfall as are the expats and local residents. He told local media both he and his colleagues had no idea how such a large sum found its way into the town hall’s coffers and even less idea where it came from. Nozal also doesn’t understand why current mayor Juan Carlos Maldonado seemingly wasn’t aware of the authority’s bank account status, adding it could have been used to build a much-needed health clinic.
One suggestion as to the money’s origin was a large land sale, although none have been recorded, with a Mijas lawyer convinced a deposit of that size has broken Spanish law which only allows for an annual one per cent increase in the contents of town hall coffers.
Mijas town hall is now the subject of demands from expats to deal with urgent local issues after it was revealed the authority is sitting on €64 million of unspent cash. A protest group has been formed, all of whom have their own suggestions on how the small town could be improved for its residents, both expats and locals.
One focus of expat anger was the plight of local donkeys, which don’t even have a basic shelter to shield them from the blazing hot summer sun. Batting on behalf of the donkey population is Dutch local Edith Farminer, who considers the lack of care for the animals a total disgrace. She believes doing nothing to help the donkeys is ruining people’s perception of the town.
Her call to action was supported by Brit expat Suzann Hughes, who’s angry the river hasn’t been dredged and cleaned in years in spite of locals using its waters as a rubbish tip. Other complaints include a much-needed improvement in disabled access across the town, and everyone involved is furious about such a huge chunk of money not being used to improve the environment and the services the town hall provides to its residents.
Former local Mijas mayor Angel Nozal is as amazed at the size of the windfall as are the expats and local residents. He told local media both he and his colleagues had no idea how such a large sum found its way into the town hall’s coffers and even less idea where it came from. Nozal also doesn’t understand why current mayor Juan Carlos Maldonado seemingly wasn’t aware of the authority’s bank account status, adding it could have been used to build a much-needed health clinic.
One suggestion as to the money’s origin was a large land sale, although none have been recorded, with a Mijas lawyer convinced a deposit of that size has broken Spanish law which only allows for an annual one per cent increase in the contents of town hall coffers.
Comments » No published comments just yet for this article...
Feel free to have your say on this item. Go on... be the first!
