The Mayor of Salobreña is coming under increasing criticism for awarding herself a 14,000 pay rise when many fear for their jobs.

The opposition parties, PP, Cs, Más Salobreña and Vox voted against the 2020 Budget which contained these pay increases, whilst Podemos abstained

In fact, a total of nine councillors and advisors received pay rises along with the Mayor, Maria Eugenia Rufino. The advisors are known in Spanish as Cargos de Confianza del Equipo de Gobierno, meaning that they are unelected parts of the team, hand picked for the post by a mayor.

Whilst the Mayor received an extra 14,000 euros a year, the councillors and advisors received an extra 9,000 euros. This increase puts another 250,000 euros on the municipal coffers.

Editorial comment: unfortunately in Spain, right across the political spectrum, all the way down from the Central Government to local town halls, the first thing that newly elected politicians do is vote themselves pay increases.

(News: Salobrena, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)