Costa Blanca
Guardia Civil complete investigation into John George gun murder

The Guardia Civil has verified that John George, a Belfast resident, was fatally shot on December 14th, and they have declared that their investigation into his murder has been finalised.
Guardia Civil officers have also appeared to rule out the possibility of additional arrests after revealing that the evidence they have gathered indicates that the two suspects were present with the 37-year-old victim at the time of his most recent communication with his father.
Jonny Smyth, the suspected murderer, was apprehended at an Airbnb in Braga, northern Portugal, on March 25th and subsequently extradited to Spain earlier this month.
The initial arrestee, a Czech national who has not been officially identified, is currently released on bond; however, he is still under investigation as an alleged accomplice.
Only the two arrests and the discovery of John’s body in Rojales, near Torrevieja on Spain’s Costa Blanca, were confirmed by detectives, who had been extremely reticent regarding their investigation.
Today, they announced their initial comprehensive comments regarding the case by releasing new video footage of property searches they conducted as part of their investigation and footage from the location in an orchard where the victim’s body was discovered.
Additionally, they stated that the primary suspect abandoned his two pet dogs when he departed Spain with his girlfriend in a hurry in order to elude capture, following John’s father Billy’s report of his disappearance.
According to a spokesperson for the Guardia Civil in Alicante, the investigation into the disappearance of a young Irish man in December of last year has been finalised. This follows the arrest of the alleged material author of the man’s homicide in Braga, Portugal, in April and the subsequent extradition of the individual.
“The victim’s body was discovered approximately two weeks after his father reported him missing, believing that he was in Benidorm visiting friends.”
The body was discovered in Rojales, near Torrevieja, by investigators who conducted a thorough investigation of the area due to their suspicion that the man’s disappearance was involuntary and that the crime associated with it may have been committed in the area.
“The two suspects had already been identified by the officers prior to the discovery.” On the same day that the body was discovered, one of them was apprehended.
The force spokesman stated that the police investigation commenced on December 21st when Mr. George reported his son missing after flying to Spain from Northern Ireland to search for him. He also stated that officers began a reconstruction of what could have happened from the moment the victim vanished after reaching Spain on December 6th.
“They contacted individuals who had been in contact with him since that day and interviewed witnesses.”
“The evidence they collected indicated that the deceased man was in the company of the two individuals who were identified as the primary suspects at the time of his last communication with his father.”
“The initial arrest was made a few hours after the body was discovered. The individual in question is a 32-year-old Czech national who resides in Torrevieja. He is suspected of being an accomplice and is currently out on bail.”
“The Guardia Civil continued its efforts to locate the second suspect, the individual who was suspected of being the perpetrator of the murder. Investigators have gathered information that the individual allegedly fled Spain after the homicide and after the police were informed of his disappearance.”
“He fled the country with his girlfriend in a hurry, leaving his two pet dogs at his residence on the Orihuela Costa on the Costa Blanca in order to evade capture.”
“The Guardia Civil requested the issuance of a European Arrest Warrant for him and the collaboration of other police forces through Interpol. He was apprehended in Portugal on March 25th and extradited to Spain on April 3rd.”
Officers have referred to Smyth as an individual who has “previous in his country of origin,” despite the fact that Spanish police did not formally identify him in an extensive statement.
It was not immediately apparent whether they were referring to his criminal record with convictions or his status as a person known to the police as a result of previous arrests.
In anticipation of an ongoing investigation conducted by a judge in Torrevieja, he has been remanded in detention.
The autopsy revealed that the victim died from gunshot wounds on the night of December 14th, the same day that the victim spoke with his father for the last time and a week before the father reported him missing, according to the Guardia Civil.
During a property search, the police removed tin foil-wrapped parcels from an air conditioning vent, as evidenced by the video footage released by the police force.
The footage did not immediately indicate which of the two suspects’ properties were being searched.
The defence attorney for the man who is being described as an alleged accomplice and the first individual to be apprehended has justified the decision to detain his client by referencing his “recent friendship” with Smyth.
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Costa Blanca
Alicante firefighters protest in Benidorm today to denounce their situation

The Personnel Board of the Alicante Firefighters Consortium regrets the “impossibility” of reaching an agreement with the president of the Provincial Council to resolve the workers’ demands. Therefore, a demonstration is scheduled today outside Benidorm City Hall.
On Friday, April 25th, representatives of the Personnel Board convened for nearly seven hours with the president of the Alicante Provincial Council, Toni Pérez, and the president-delegate of the provincial consortium to resolve the “conflict” that has persisted for the past month.
“The Administration’s statement, which downplayed and even denied the incidents that have been occurring in the fire stations since the conflict began, which represent a significant deterioration in the provision of the service we provide and our safety, was considered serious enough to warrant negotiations for its resolution.” Consequently, we extended an offer to continue negotiations, even over the weekend, according to the Board.
They stated in a statement that “the response was that they needed to conduct both a legal and economic study in order to be able to translate into an agreement that they could commit to signing and complying with” after several recesses and the simplification of the proposal from the social party presented on April 15th.
“Finally, they requested that we respond to this potential agreement by the end of the week on Wednesday, April 30th.”
Although the Presidency expressed its commitment to resolving the conflict and was willing to reconcile positions and “continue negotiating for as long as necessary,” the Staff Board comprehends that “any possibility of an agreement was postponed pending this future meeting.”
Consequently, “we will persist with the measures that the General Assembly has approved, as it has been impossible to reach any form of agreement,” following the evaluation of this meeting and the anticipation of this counterproposal.
Consequently, the staff has been notified of the rally that will occur outside Benidorm City Hall today in conjunction with the plenary session.
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Costa Blanca
The Portús campsite to reopen but will no longer be a nudist resort

On Friday, April 25th, Camping El Portús users were notified via email that the complex will relinquish its naturist status upon its reopening following its renovations.
According to company sources, the campsite will reopen on August 1st with “renovated facilities, new services, and a dedication to sustainable tourism.” In this new phase, the campsite will function as a textile facility and will be open year-round.
The campsite’s pitches will be spacious and furnished with a diverse array of facilities. Additionally, the accommodations, which encompass mobile homes and apartments, have been renovated to enhance comfort. They include private terraces, air conditioning, top-quality beds, and renovated restrooms and kitchens. Additionally, the campsite will include two recreational pools and two restaurants with distinctive menus.
Additionally, the reception, supermarket, and communal bathrooms have been modernised to reflect the campsite’s current aesthetics and natural surroundings.
In addition, they observed that it will provide a diverse selection of complementary activities, including kayaking, climbing, and diving, which will encourage active and nature-based tourism in a critical region of Cartagena’s littoral.
The new owners of the campsite are dedicated to the development of an environmentally friendly paradigm in this new phase of the project. To accomplish this, “the utilisation of indigenous species is promoted, vehicle traffic is diminished, and pedestrians and cyclists are prioritised.”
They adhered to conventional architectural principles during the renovation, employing locally sourced prefabricated materials to mitigate the project’s environmental impact. “The landscaping project is in harmony with its surroundings, thereby fostering biodiversity and preserving the natural environment,” they concluded.
For more information see the website here https://www.elportus.com/en/
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Costa Blanca
Calpe allocates 155,000 euros to repair the Arenal Bol promenade damaged by storms and rain

The Arenal-Bol Beach Promenade maintenance and renovation project has been advertised by the Calpe City Council. The tender has a fixed price of €155,340 and a six-week completion period.
The objective of these projects is to enhance pedestrian traffic and rectify specific paving deficiencies. Maintenance work on the paving of the Arenal-Bol Beach Promenade has been restricted to Plaza Colón and the intersection of the Paseo MarÃtimo and Calle Alemania, Calle Dinamarca, Calle Gran Bretaña, Calle Irlanda, and Calle Luxemburgo. Therefore, numerous regions currently require pavement enhancements.
The marine environment, heavy rainfall, and the action of the waves have compromised the Promenade’s perimeter wall. This is particularly evident in the final section, where there is no sandy shoreline and the waves directly impact the masonry wall, thereby eroding its structure. The wall’s top is damaged in some areas, so it is suggested that it be fixed to match the promenade’s other walls.
The pavement will be demolished and reconstructed in sections to minimise the disruption to the normal movement of users along the promenade during the construction process. Additionally, portions of pavement that are in a state of disrepair will be demolished, cleared, and cleansed.
Ana Sala, the Mayor, acknowledged that “we are cognisant of the age of our seafront promenades and are currently engaged in the project to renovate the Paseo de la Fossa.” Consequently, in the interim and prior to the comprehensive remodelling of the Paseo del Arenal, we have contemplated the replacement of the deteriorated pavement and a portion of the wall, which is experiencing typical deterioration over time. These promenades, which are now a municipal icon, are over 50 years old. We persist in our efforts to enhance the public perception of our municipality. We will commence the project’s execution immediately upon the release of the tender while concurrently continuing to work on the comprehensive remodelling of the Paseo de la Fossa.
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