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
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...HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED!
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Gender push A NEW law will make it mandatory for corporate boards to be composed of at least 40% women. Spain’s Parliament is set to introduce the ‘gender parity law’, which would see a similar quota set for the cabinet. It was due to be passed last night on the eve of International Women’s Day today and will be ratified by congress next month. All publicly-traded companies, or those with over 250 employees, must comply by July next year. Although many firms on the Ibex-35 already meet the quota, several fall short.
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BITCON
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 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
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Vol. 17 Issue 414 www.theolivepress.es March 8th - March 21st 2023
MIND THE GAP
EXCLUSIVE: Kidnap, crypto and the Russians: The multimillioneuro scandal that may have defrauded hundreds in Spain By Walter Finch
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.
Scheme
Insisting he wasn’t a criminal, he claimed the scheme was a minor matter and he was merely representing a group of investors trying to recover €2 million ‘owed to them’ by Sidirov. While it seemed to be the end of the matter, the Olive Press can reveal today that the kidnapping is just a small part of a much bigger scandal that is set to engulf the already beleaguered crypto industry. The kidnapping is linked to a Gibraltar-linked crypto firm that has become immersed in a murky world of trading 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. And in a bizarre twist, the Olive Press can reveal that the remaining €40 million is apparently in the hands of a shady IT firm based in Ukraine. It happened after Sidirov activated a mechanism during his kidnap that sent the codes to Globix’s partners in Kyiv. An independent investigation by a well known Gibraltar financial company told investors they had been struggling to get any money back from Ukraine. It added the CEO of the Kyiv-based firm had ‘not been forthcoming’ in his efforts to return the money and was ‘now
under arrest’. A statement issued to investors in January, seen by the Olive Press, reads: “The police have been contacted, as has the Ministry (of Finance) and collectively we are hopeful that they will ensure the process is completed satisfactorily.” It added: “We have the Ukrainian special police involved and they have arrested three individuals. They are looking for a fourth individual. These people hold the data that is needed to facilitate the final transfer.” While this has been hard to independently verify, Globix’ website has not been functioning since November, when a statement was put up Turn to page 4
Opinion Page 6
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 Internationa grew by €120 beWomen’sl Day tween 2020 and 2021.
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Please reward women Madrid-based expat equally, insists journalist Fiona Govan
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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 is in the president of the The country, at data by Lenstore. home. And the boardroom. US’ rather than ‘Kamala ninth 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 fight twice as hard we often have to fight for the to continues to the future, one that storeupon closer inspection of the Lenpay women less study, Spain and deserve and speakto get the pay we Take equal bare minimum. than rope have the rest of Eupay. It is fairly straight- men or discriminates against twice as loud to a long way to go until have our voices heard forward in principle: any- ity is achieved. one is a discredit equalin 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 pressed of gender, making in race, health gender equality and Spain earns woman, religion or sexual professionals stands to find a orientation. 20% less than men equal €29,800 lower even pay at than the 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’, ‘sweetheart’ annual salary for €39,616 avbrains What’s more, The at work. do. men. or ‘gorgeous’ struggle to grasp in business still Indeed it is Meanwhile in France, the concept. a shame that in and unpaid work burden of care boardroom. in the office, and even As we face 2021 ranked as the best countrywhich was the Spanish Government falls mainly on another economic women while companies in Europe And sadly, that’s down- had no felt they to be a female healthcare turn in the wake choice getting close of coronavirus but to intervene off lightthe ly. Complaining professiondoors to management to al, women still make about these kinds as the Ukraine war starts to rampand ensure that women in positions. According to the the country €7,000 a year less an average of up are given the again it is clearer Spanish National of ‘compliments’ often isn’t worth than their male than ever that same pay as men. 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 And the Ministry are women. to be a female health professional of Equality states dinosaurs over terms of endear- Women are just as productive that 57.3% of women ment - or endowment and determined as their in Eu- has to be parts, male counter- rope, ranking eighth, while its docgender violence and have suffered sidelined for tors and 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 box of wage, average of 31.1% to 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 in they totally disagreed shown 20,000 adverts fight for equal Europe the most represented used in adverts. Indeed, with the way they according to are while women make pay as propa- countries for women are Iceland up 88% of consumerthe 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’ Users’ Communication according to the ing feminists’, (45.5%), Denmark (43.6%) Association of BelSometimes it’s a case (AUC). remember we’re gium (42.7%) and North Macedoof ‘sneaky sexism’ gent into the machine - a woman pouring sticking it to the nia (42.5%). deterThis puts Spain In the UK an NHS for example - while at other times man, not men. at ninth in it's overt. 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 in our diversity. The country with the most while, her husband while ironing with a baby in her at home with female parliamentarians Recognise arms. Meansat on the sofa. 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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