The government is having a bit of difficulty around its proposed Law of Historical Memory. This takes the first major step away from Spain’s post-civil-war vow of silence and aims, I think, to formally pronounce as illegal many acts taken during the Franco regime. However, one of the Catalan parties says it won’t support this measure unless left wing crimes are addressed as well. Which could well lead to it being rapidly binned by the socialist government.

Meanwhile, the [very] left-wing International Committee of the Fourth International sees the proposed statute as part of a “thirst for truth and justice” which is a “manifestation of the leftward radicalisation of the working class, which brought down the PP government in March 2004”. But they’re not at all happy with the Bill and see it as aiming to “divert this striving for the truth into safe channels for the Spanish ruling class”. Click here for more of this entertaining stuff.

More trouble from the government comes from the Basque Country, where the President has said he’ll hold a referendum on independence, even in the absence of a defeat of the ETA terrorists. Or even another ceasefire. The Spanish government insists this would be illegal as only Madrid has the right to call these. It’s interesting to ponder what on earth Madrid will do if it continues to be defied.

There’s some sort of dispute taking place here over TV rights for major football games. I can’t say I understand it but it’s now reached the courts. Meanwhile, the good news is that one of the main channels now plays two UK Premier League games live, as I discovered when I switched on last evening and found Manchester United playing Sunderland. Impressively, the commentators made a decent fist of pronouncing the Anglo Saxon surnames.

A year after the deadline for taking the measures demanded under Spain’s antismoking law of January 2006, an astonishing 60% of places larger than 100m2 have yet to do so. Like many laws in Spain, implementation is left to the Autonomous Communities and several of these have so far levied only minimal fines. La Rioja and Murcia haven’t imposed any at all. Mind you, it’s hard to do anything when you can’t even be bothered to appoint inspectors.

Galicia Facts

August is often a little wet here in Galicia. But not this year, when we’ve seen scarcely a drop of rain. Which is odd, as much the rest of ‘dry’ Spain has been regularly deluged. I blame it on global warming.

The head of Traffic here in Galicia says the knocking down of pedestrians is what distinguishes this region from the rest of the country. With another 4 months to go, it seems we’ve already reached the total of 38 for the whole of last year. So, if you’re thinking of coming for an autumn break, you’ve been warned.

To be more positive, it’s unlikely you’ll be mown down at Poio’s upcoming Tripe Festival on the 16^th of this month. See you there.