From Franco’s 50’s pamphlet on how to be a ‘good wife’ to femaleonly bookshops and a trio of woman at the top Spanish firms...
International
Women’s Day
...HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED!
The
OLIVE PRESS
FREE
SETTING THE SCENE
GIBRALTAR
Vol. 7 Issue 193
www.theolivepress.es
The Rock’s ONLY free local paper March 8th - March 21st 2023
BITCON EXCLUSIVE: Kidnap, crypto and the Russians: The multimillion-euro scandal that may have defrauded hundreds in Spain and Gibraltar By Walter Finch
individually to fetch. And in one of them - with his wife still bound and gagged in the boot of the car - Sidirov was able to call his lawyer for help. The lawyer alerted the police, who were quickly on the scene to catch the kidnappers. Police arrested six people, including a retired Guardia Civil officer, while the alleged ringleader, Carlos Garrido (pictured), handed himself in in the ensuing days to deny he was a criminal.
failures. According to well placed sources, hundreds of frantic investors are now scrambling to recover their funds from the trading platform Globix, which at its peak had almost €150 million under management. Over the last few months it has gradually become clear to investors, based in Gibraltar and Spain, that Globix has allegedly lost as much as two thirds of this enormous sum. Scheme And in a bizarre twist, the Olive Press Insisting he wasn’t a criminal, he can reveal that the remaining €40 milclaimed the scheme was a minor mat- lion is apparently in the hands of a ter and he was merely representing a shady IT firm based in Ukraine. group of investors trying to recover It happened after Sidirov activated a €2 million ‘owed to them’ by Sidirov. mechanism during his kidnap that sent While it seemed to be the end of the the codes to Globix’s partners in Kyiv. matter, the Olive Press can reveal to- An independent investigation by a well day that the kidnapping is just a small known Gibraltar financial company part of a much bigger scandal that is told investors they had been struggling set to engulf the already beleaguered to get any money back from Ukraine. crypto industry. It added the CEO of the Kyiv-based The kidnapping is linked to a Gibral- firm had ‘not been forthcoming’ in his tar-linked crypto firm that has become efforts to return the money and was immersed in a murky world of trading ‘now under arrest’. A statement issued to investors in January, seen by the Olive Press, reads: “The police have THE SKY been contacted, as has the MinDOCTOR istry (of Finance) and collectively we are hopeful that they will ALL AREAS ensure the process is completed satisfactorily.” COVERED It added: “We have the Ukrainian special police involved and they 4G UNLIMITED have arrested three individuals. INTERNET They are looking for a fourth individual. These people hold the IDEAL FOR data that is needed to facilitate STREAMING TV the final transfer.” While this has been hard to ALSO independently verify, Globix’ IPTV, website has not been functionSATELLITE ing since November, when a TV statement was put up reading: ‘We will not be taking on any more accounts’. When contacted by the Olive Press for comment, the alleged tel: (0034) 952 763 840 boss of Globix dismissed all the info@theskydoctor.com allegations against him and his www.theskydoctor.com Turn to page 4
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A KIDNAPPING of two expats foiled by Spanish police last year is linked to an enormous crypto currency scandal set to rock the country, the Olive Press can reveal. The incredible drama which saw the couple held for several hours took place after hundreds of investors feared they had lost as much as €70 million in the ‘crypto scam’. The snatching of Russian Pavel Sidirov and his wife in June was initially treated by police as routine extortion, as we reported at the time. The couple had been kidnapped outside their villa in El Campello, Alicante, by two bogus cops flashing fake Guardia Civil badges and a Russian woman acting as an interpreter. They were bundled into a car, stripped and the wife was tied up and used as a hostage. The gang then threatened both their lives if they did not hand over the codes to a crypto wallet containing millions. Tech guru Sidirov cleverly bought time by telling the gang that the codes were distributed in 12 separate houses that they would have to go to
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WOMEN had a packed discussion at the Garrison Library on how to increase their role in society. The talk, led by Minister for Equality Samantha Sacramento, was to set the scene for today’s International Women’s Day. The focus of the discussion was, ‘Where are the women of Gibraltar?’, talking about the historical facts that influence women’s participation in everyday life. Sacramento is currently the only woman in Gibraltar’s government. The fireside chat started with presentations to the audience before speeches from leading women. Dr Jennifer Ballantine Perera, Director of the Gibraltar Garrison Library, talked about the cultural norms that keep women from advancing in society. Ministry of Equality Policy Development Officer Marlene Dalli then spoke about how women were under-represented and its impact on the social order. After the speeches, the women moved on to an open discussion on the topics at hand. “This has been a wonderfully inclusive gathering and such a good way to kick start future International Women’s Day events this month,” Ballantine Perera said. “The aim is to bring about change through a greater understanding of how we as a society feel about these important questions.” Sacramento said she was impressed by the ‘huge appetite for these discussions’ as the event was over-subscribed. She revealed that she had planned to launch a series of these fireside chats before COVID-19 hit so she was enthusiastic to pick up on the idea. “This is the first of a series of fireside chats which will serve to keep the conversation going but, more importantly, will inform the ongoing work we undertake at the Ministry of Equality.” ‘Embrace Equity’ is the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day.
MIND THE GAP
DISPARITIES in pay between men and women in Andalucia vary by over 15% depending on province. While the gap is just 12.5% in Almeria, it rises to as much as 28.3% in Huelva. And while the difference in salary in Malaga (19.8%) is close to the national average of 20.05% it means men make €20,003 per year, while women get €15,992. The most alarming statistic however, is that across Spain the pay gap appears to be widening, with the Gestha union claiming it grew by €120 between 2020 and 2021.
Internatio
Womennal’s Day
March 2023
Under represented
A special four-page pullout www.theolivepress.
es
OUR BRILLIANCE IS IN OUR DIVERSITY
HEALTHY WAGE
THERE are 250% ries about men more news stocording to a new than women, acThe report by study. Spanish firm, Llorente & Cuenca, that women feature also reveals FOR women looking 21% less in the headlines. a demanding career to embark on sector, making sure in the health Moreover, when they earn a fair amount for their pear in articles women do apa driving factor inhard work could be explicit mentionthere is often an deciding where to relocate. and family and of their gender Spain has been named prominent than their sex is more their identity. countries for women one of the top “An example would in health care, according to new WOMAN’S place could be the new be; ‘A woman data is in the president The country, at ninthby Lenstore. home. of the And the boardroom US’ rather than ‘Kamala position, was found to offer some Harris is a In fact, it is anywhere . strong candidate tunities in Europe. of the best opporfor presidency’,” damn pleases, particularlyshe a spokesman explained, This is down to in adding this day and age in Spain. a number of factors that there is a bias, including average which makes But as another old women invisible yearly salary, holidayworking hours, and anonymous. woman’s work is adage goes, a It is both exhausting the number of women allowance and and astonish- Speaking there is no doubt, never done. And ing that in 2023 in the industry. of women still have But upon closer inspection fight twice as hard we often have to fight for the to continues to the future, one that store of the Lenbare to get minimum. pay the study, women pay Spain we deserve and speak less and the rest of Eutwice as loud to Take equal pay. It is fairly straight- men or discriminates against than rope have a long way have our voices heard to go until equalforward in principle: any- ity is achieved. one is a discredit in the work- ty to us all. place. of opportunity for creating equali- Businesses should In all, irrespective THE average woman of course be for Spain the average female pay You’d be hard of gender, making gender equality health professiona 20% less than men in Spain earns woman, even pressed to find a orientation race, religion or sexual pay and equal €29,800 ls lower than the stands at have suffered abuseand half of them been called in 2023, who hasn’t the biggest. But somehow some of is a key foundation of success. It erage the right thing to ‘darling’, ‘sweethear annual salary for €39,616 avbrains What’s more, The at work. do. men. or ‘gorgeous’ t’ struggle to grasp in business still Indeed Meanwhile in France, it is a shame that the concept. and unpaid work burden of care boardroom. in the office, and even As we face which was in ranked 2021 the as Spanish falls the another best country in Europe Government felt economic downwomen while companiesmainly on And sadly, that’s they to be a female had no choice but getting off light- turn in the wake of coronavirus close the ly. Complainin doors to manageme to intervene to al, women stillhealthcare professionand ensure g about these kinds as the Ukraine war starts to make an average According to the nt positions. ramp up are giventhat women in the country €7,000 a year less of again it is clearer Spanish National of ‘compliments’ often isn’t worth than their male the same pay as men. than ever that Institute of Statistics, counterparts. your breath, since it’ll most likely be old systems are failing us at our Now businesses have to share the average salary for men in The UK came in every they are turn. sixth place overall, Spain is €26,369 brushed off by colleagues as doing, because they what with average whereas for women a ‘bit It is time of banter.’ female pay at £30,059, can’t be trusted to challenge the status lower than the £43,953 Moreover, 93,6% it is €21,682. A working woman quo Just look to do the right thing. average annunow knows she and do away with outdated modes at women al salary for men. work part-time to of people who has to pick of working - and women Research last year in healthcare. her battles, take care of children and the elderly found that Spain need to be was tunately a daily scuffle and unfor- helping to usher one of the best places in the new dawn. with balding Women And the Ministry are women. dinosaurs over to be a female of are Equality terms just health as of states ment - or productive and professional in Euthat 57.3% of women rope, ranking eighth, endowment - hasendear- determined as their male gender violence and have suffered sidelined for to be parts, and while its doccounter- tors and businesses need fered sexual violence.13.2% have suf- such as pay, more pressing matters ognise to rec- the top nurses are ranked among this. fair treatment and ba- quotas but And not just because of A causethree in Europe. sic respect. SPAIN has to build better businessfor celebration? Hardly. es and a better future Fe- mentary far more female parliamale doctors and representation than for everyone. earning an average nurses here are average in European countries.the of €10,000 less than their male The 252 women sitting in Spain’s c o u n t e r p a r t s upper and lower houses repreWOMEN don’t take sent 42.4% of seats, their kids to school (see Healthy a European compared washing powder. in heels carrying a wage, box average of 31.1% to of A recent study has above a global and found that 94% of share of 26.6%. right). trayals of themselves women don’t identify with porAnd for those The figures, collated by The questionnaire in advertising campaigns. anaof 2000 women who who brand the lysts IPU Parline, reveal that from 17 sectors, found were they totally disagreed shown 20,000 adverts fight for equal Europe the most representein used in adverts. Indeed, countries for women d according to the with the way they are while women make pay as propaare Iceland up 88% of consumer study by Havas Media, feel properly represented ganda coming (47.6%), Andorra, Sweden decisions, an alarming (both . 6% Meanwhile 40% from ‘male-hat- 46.4%) Norway (46.2%), Finland of ads are ‘sexist’ (45.5%), Users’ Communica according to the Denmark (43.6%) ing feminists’, Association of tion (AUC). BelSometimes it’s a case remember we’re gium (42.7%) and North Macedoof ‘sneaky sexism’ nia (42.5%). gent into the machine a woman sticking pouring it to the This deterIn the UK an NHS for example - while at other times puts Spain at ninth man, not men. it's overt. in outrage, it had to stay at home Covid ad (right) caused Our brilliance is rope and 22nd in the world. Euso much the kids, mopping,be removed. It portrayed a woman The country with the in our diversity. most fewhile, her husband while ironing with a baby in her at home with male parliamen arms. MeanRecognise sat on the sofa. tarians by share it. Celebrate it. Re- is Rwanda (61.3%) followed EQUALITY: But not by in UK homes according ward it. And re- Cuba (53.4%) and Nicaragua to NHS ward it equally. (51.7%). That’s just good The UK is 48th world-wide with 34.5% of its business sense. being women. parliamentarians
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Please reward women Madrid-based expat equally, insists journalist Fiona Govan
Grim stats
See our International Women’s Day pullout inside
In power
AN UNFAIR POR TRAYAL