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February 2025
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The new Madrid museum that boasts 170 works by the reclusive artist - but none of them are real
the rich A honeypot for havis and famous, Bena ple of a offers an exam ss story true Spanish succe
of 10,000 this hit the magic number predict experts.of growth and to keep on growing. T just seems for this tiny enclave, Spring, amount nomads It’s a massive The statistics down to digitallive somethe snazzy nighta short drive from and Marbella, is mostly s looking to and teleworkersurrounded by nature life of Puerto Banus e. warm are quite remarkabl rning place in where and open spaces. and golf lesLong the highest-ea an average earnfree tennis, football yoga Andalucia (with its population (of The for kids, plus language,not do does year sons ings of €38,000), pilates for adults foreign) by last which 68% is 7,300 residents to and harm either. Benahavis rehad soared fromsince 2022. It could any ally does offer a healthy 9,244 something for everyone, particularly as its hills WILDLIFE: Is nearby abundant for have recently hikers to spot been officially designated the del Sol Sierra de las and bustling Costa Nieves Nationto the Goldsmith hills above Marbella lage’s connection focussed on al Park. is set in the wooded The Crown. Rent- family, who are heavily six- IDYLLIC: The town nt, in Spain’s Benfrom the hit series local environme villa in the exclusive they protecting the trees. teenth nationur- ing out a the ing frequency. particular planting Goldsmith park, enclave of Zagaleta the Benahavis al Lady Annabel the moreached from mid-1990s three-hour ahavis soaring peaks Best of La Quinta, a to the fa- portrayed the wrote about and her Diana up often covered banisation holiday that Ladyfriend ment when shetalkative walk takes you her with snow in circularcastano santo - holy chestnut famous and James, said took with at winter (hence mous- that at 1000 years old is Jemima Goldsmitheshusband, Sir the enthe name), are tree the oldest in Malaga province. in love with “That her nearby family fell be the to some of tate, Tramores. crew clave. She said: on the most amazing The cast and day, as we stood looking Gorge regularfor hiking and terrace, were right at the mounbird-watching, But there are many other walksdown ly seen tains, at the with eagles from the village, in particular where a r o u n d amazing and vultures into its famous river gorge, with the vilview, with soaring above many people combine hiking stun- l a g e , other no with increas- swimming, or up towards the o t h of the wealthy b g sign of huning country retreatwhere the UK’s f i l m i nu s man habitario Goldsmith family, naBoris Johnson v a tion, and at scenes, as former Prime Minister and ago. ture at its simplest Press, well as enjoystayed three years by the Olive what ing their time off. fell silent.” First revealed will possible pro- explains most dramatic, Jimmy up to enjoy a for2,500 more homeswhile of hik- “It is the best had,” Johnson had turned just week expat Barry Segal, lived have a total, In local could best: a paint- motion we Scott Marshall, who’s art- be allowed inside its borders, Benahavis offers to retire, explains s effect and once you’ve a dabble with IT’s a great place Councillor ing followed by open air. “I call it the Benahavi moved to Benahavis page mer radio DJ. you won’t want to leave. is perfect and the place is out in the Continues on next the ist father David at brush came year visit his climate Spanish here for a By coincidenceNetflix descended on in the 1970s.were thanks to the vilso friendly, the great all the free “The people are he continues. “Plus it is Andalucia, one we reBoth visits same time as around a couple of scenes so nice and quiet,” and even trips the village to film classes and exercise Antequera.” cently took to
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THE BENAHAVIS EFFEC
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SPAIN is now classified as a ‘defective democracy’ due to its high levels of corruption. The country now has a worse ranking than Saudi Arabia, Rwanda and Costa Rica, when it comes to transparency. In its worst score for three decades, Spain came 46th out of 180 nations. It now scored just 56 out of 100 in the evaluation by Transparency International, which compiles data from many sources including the World Bank and World Economic Forum. Spain dropped 10 places being slammed for its control of corruption, government efficiency, regulatory quality, and rule of law.
Scandals
The country ‘continues to lack a national anti-corruption strategy’ to counter scandals such as the Koldo case and the Jose Luis Abalos affair. The loss of the anti-fraud agency in the Balearics, and the weakening of the Valencian equivalent were noted, while only four autonomous regions tackle corruption head on. The UK has also seen a decline of 11 points since 2017 scoring just 71 out of 100. Overall Europe has declined for the second year running to 64 out of 100. Only six countries improved their scores, while Denmark remained on top being the least corrupt nation, with a score of 90. Russia holds the worst position in Europe, ranking 154th globally with a score of just 22.
February 12th - February 25th 2025
Border officer facing ‘disciplinary probe’ after Olive Press video shows him ‘looking drunk’ and checking passports out of uniform SPANISH police have confirmed to the Olive Press they are investigating a senior officer accused of checking passports at the Gibraltar border while allegedly drunk and off duty. He may face ‘disciplinary proceedings’ after we sent a video of the cop swaying amid the traffic while donning civilian clothes.
Consequences
A well-placed La Linea source meanwhile, expressed ‘surprise’ that the policeman is the head of the Central Border Unit, Chief Inspector David Barrero. He should not have been checking documents because ‘he had been transferred away to other duties’. A spokesman for the Policia Nacional said his force was ‘determining what consequences may arise and whether to start disciplinary proceedings.’
EXCLUSIVE By Walter Finch
Barrero had already been dubbed a ‘rogue officer’ after he took it upon himself last year to impose Schengen controls at the border – against the orders of his own superiors. In the video, filmed after dark a fortnight ago, a white-haired man in jeans and jumper is seen staggering around demanding to see passports. Drivers clearly look on in astonishment as other uniformed officers do nothing to interfere. Despite the lack of sound, the officer can be seen lurching backwards and urging a car to come forward, before leaning on its bonnet to inspect the passport of a waiting motorcyclist. Barrero has risen to notoriety in Gibraltar for his efforts to unilaterally
ROGUE: The ‘drunk’ man checking passports
tear up the current transitional arrangement for the border with Spain since Brexit kicked in in 2021. It was his instructions to stamp Gibraltar passports, on October 11 and November 22, that led to long queues gathering on the La Linea side. As we reported on our front page in November this dealt a blow to economic activities on the Rock and led to him being dubbed by the Gibraltar government as a ‘rogue’ officer. The disruption was so severe that St Bernard’s Hospital had to postpone various operations scheduled for the day due to a lack of cross-border workers. On both days, the order was only later rescinded following an angry phone call from Madrid. Barrero followed those stunts by filing a denuncia in La Linea court against his own superiors
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Vox
Spain’s far-right party Vox meanwhile, has backed Barrero submitting questions to the Spanish parliament. The Olive Press understands however, that Barrero directly disobeyed orders to ‘go to war’ against his superiors. It came after a new commissioner for La Linea, Maria Jose Martinez moved control of the border away from his unit into the hands of a specific border force in April last year. The senior La Linea source told the Olive Press: “It is not his job to take the border and diplomacy into his own hands. “It was a political decision whether he agrees or not. It is not something a SPAIN is seeking the exchief inspector like Bartradition of a British rerero should be deciding.” ality TV star for cocaine The Gibraltatar governsmuggling. ment declined to comJack Fraser, 34, who apment on ‘the internal peared in TOWIE (The Only Way is Essex), is accused affairs of foreign uniof playing a key role in trying to smuggle 184 kg of drugs into formed bodies.’ Spain through a boat called the Eulalia in November 2021. There have been over Spanish prosecutors allege Fraser provided logistical sup15 rounds of talks since port to a trafficking network, including paying for accommo2021 to try and sort out dation and renting properties for crew members involved in the status of Gibraltar the operation. within Schengen. The court heard that Fraser - who also appeared in MTV’s Ex Meanwhile, 15,000 On The Beach - left Spain just two days before the seizure. workers cross the border His lawyers insisted he is innocent and was ‘not in Spain’ into Gibraltar every day when the alleged offending occurred. to work, with a third of La Fraser has a number of UK convictions, including a Linea’s workforce earn15-month suspended sentence for dangerous driving and ing a living on the Rock. aggravated vehicle theft after ramming a stolen BMW into a police car in June. Opinion Page 6
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for misconduct and coercion. The veteran border cop argued the current ‘relaxed’ border controls violate the Schengen code, leaving him with no legal protection in case of an incident, such as a terror attack. A La Linea judge has now called Barrero to testify on the current border arrangements.