Catalunia
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said yesterday he would stand firm against what he called “inflammatory” Catalan separatist rhetoric, hardening his stance towards the region.
The speech was closely watched for signs of whether Sanchez would make concessions to Catalan separatists to secure their backing for the budget and help him stay in office for the rest of a parliamentary term due to run until 2020.
But he took no such step.
Sanchez also said that national police could be sent to Catalonia if local authorities did not do more against protests like one that shut down highways at the weekend.
Sanchez said he was still willing to talk with Catalan leaders, but that they must first come up with proposals representing all of the region and not just its separatists.
Motorway Tolls
TOLLS on nine of Spain’s motorways will cost on average 30% less from January 15, including the Alicante ringroad and AP-7 east-coast highway.
The ones which have been ‘bought back’ from their franchise firms by the central government will now be managed by the State and the fees for using them slashed in a bid to encourage more traffic.
The Minister for public works said his department plans to encourage use of these motorways to take traffic out of some town centers..
The minister has already confirmed that the AP-7 motorway south of Valencia city through to north of Alicante will be toll-free by January 1, 2020,
Weapons
The Guardia Civil have seized some 320 firearms and over 50,000 cartridges in their “largest operation against illegal weapons trafficking.”
Their website confirmed yesterday that an operation was carried out in Madrid, Asturias and Cantabria, leading to 4 arrests from 11 separate raids.
The operation resulted in the seizure of 275 pistols and revolvers, 34 rifles and shotguns, 7 sub-machine guns and an AK-47 assault rifle
The four detainees have been charged with arms trafficking and the illegal storage of weapons and ammunition.
The Guardia Civil said that after the operation, the past 5 years have seen them arrest 295 people for arms dealing while taking over 3 thousand weapons and 334 thousand cartridges out of circulation.