A total of 87 percent of Spaniards are concerned about the housing crisis, Barcelona to increase port tax for cruise passengers, weather warnings mark the start of the long weekend and more news from Spain this Friday October 9th.
87 percent of Spaniards say they are concerned about housing crisis
Concern over the housing crisis now affects nearly nine out of ten Spaniards, according to a survey by CIS requested by the Ministry of Housing.
The public responses reveal that a staggering 76 percent believe the state should “intervene in the market as much as necessary: to guarantee access to housing”.
However, an overwhelming 91.4 percent believe that public authorities should build more social housing.
Barcelona to increase port tax for cruise passengers
The Barcelona City Council has provisionally approved a gradual increase in the surcharge on the tourist tax for cruise ship passengers. If it goes through, it means that those staying less than 12 hours will have to pay €24 by 2030.
Currently, cruise ship passengers making port calls pay €11. With this approval, starting in 2027 they will pay €18, while in 2030 this would increase to €30. Final approval is still pending, although everything indicates that it will be passed.
The council has also frozen the €4 tax paid by those staying in hostels. Both approved measures are not part of the city’s tax ordinances.
Storms and weather warnings mark the start of Spain’s long weekend
Spain’s State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has issued several warnings for this Friday October 9th, including orange for strong waves in Catalonia and Menorca, yellow for waves and rain in Mallorca and yellow also for rain in Lanzarote in the Canary Islands.
Rain has also been forecast for Andalusia, specifically Málaga, Cádiz and Granada.
Maximum temperatures are due to drop this Friday along the Mediterranean coast too, as well as in the southern half of the country. Temperatures will only exceed 30C in Huelva and Seville.
The weather will begin to stabilise over the weekend with mainly clear skies, apart from cloud cover in the Basque Country and Galicia.
Death of a woman in Cuenca is suspected case of gender violence
The bodies of a man and a woman, both 37 years old, were discovered on Wednesday night in a house in Valverde de Júcar near Cuenca.
The Government Delegation against Gender Violence is gathering information on the case to determine if it was a gender-based murder. According to Europa Press, the deceased were a couple, although the woman was not registered in the Viogén system. They had two daughters, aged 6 and 14.