www.elperiodic.ad DIMARTS, 10 DE JULIOL DEL 2018 el Periòdic d’Andorra 15 CONEIXEMENT SOBRE d'Andorra L’ÚS DE LES TECNOLOGIES elelENGLISHTema PeriòdicPeriòdic del EDITION dia NewsW E Dxx 5 TOURISM Comú studies denying vehicle access to Meritxell on busy days The corporation of the capital discards, for now, making the avenue definitely for pedestrians only MARICEL BLANCH EL PERIÒDIC ESCALDES-ENGORDANY @PeriodicAND The location of anti- he Comú of Andorra la Vella terrorist measures is will study the feasibility of still pending prohibiting vehicle access Ton the lower part of Avingu- da Meritxell during busy days such With regard to the anti-terro- as public holidays, summer mont- rism33 measures that must be ad- hs or holiday periods such as Ch- ded to Avinguda Carlemany and ristmas or Easter. The commercial Meritxell, the comuns are still wai- hub of the capital has been closed ting for the exact location where to vehicles all August and, in fact, they should be installed. The poli- the corporation has not yet decided ce force has recently issued a re- which day it will reopen. port giving approval of the propo- Thus, the corporation of the co- sed measures and agents accom- mú discards, for now, denying vehi- panied by technicians of the comú cle access to the bottom part of Me- have visited a centre in Toulouse ritxell permanently, that is, every to know more about their antiter- day. However, if the measure be- rorist facilities, the comú is now gins to apply in days of large tou- pending a new revision to find out rist inflow and the population ends where the devices can be located. up getting used to not being able to It is also necessary to keep in mind drive through the area, it is likely that some areas may be covered that the closure ends up being defi- with large planters. In fact, many nitive, as in Escaldes-Engordany. In of the current accesses such as fact, the closure during the month the streets Pau Casals or Josep of August was made at the request Rossell Calva are already protec- of shopkeepers since the avenue ted with street furniture. Tourists at the lower part of Avinguda Meritxell. had been closed for four mont- 33 hs due to the works. The comú ar- gued that people had become used PENDING OF THE STUDY The comú of analysis– and that the corporation These studies point out, however, to not circulating around the area the capital also reminded/ that they The comú has not will consider the viability to make that they are not relevant or bin- and that it was a good moment to are waiting for the mobility study made a final decision in it for pedestrians only. ding. test the impact of the measure. If commissioned by the Government The comú also explained that That is why the corporation will the same happens with the occasio- and which has to redefine the traf- regard to permanently they had commissioned several study again the impact it may ha- nal closures and it is finally shown fic in Escaldes and Andorra la Ve- denying vehicle access mobility reports before starting ve on making a final decision alt- that there are few vehicles that still lla. However, they made it clear the works to find out about the im- hough, for now, they insist on not circulate along the avenue, it is li- that the closure of Avinguda Merit- to Avinguda Meritxell pact that they could have on the being determined yet and that kely that it will become a pedestri- xell does not depend on this study avenue during the four months they have not set a date to make a an avenue. –although it will also be part of the that the remodelling works lasted. choice. H EL PERIÒDIC Salespeople believe summer sales, in general, have been «good» Hotel occupation, ar, which is positive, given that « sin- but what is certain is that demand ce the beginning of the year, sales ha- has dropped», says Riberaygua. Ac- however, decreased by ve decreased by 30%». The president cording to Venable, «and other retai- 10% compared to last year of the Association of Salespeople of lers», August sales have been the best the Historical Centre of the capital, of the whole season. EL PERIÒDIC Anna Riberaygua, thinks the same, ANDORRA LA VELLA although she notes that, from the po- LESS OCCUPANCY With regard to ho- Without having a more general con- int of view of small businesses, the tel occupancy, and/ according to the sensus of all shops, it seems that last period of sales is excessive. Hotel Union, the demand this last season sales, which just ended this None of them, however, claims to month was 10% lower than in Au- weekend, were «good». have seen the figures from the Sta- gust 2017. Andorra la Vella and Es- From the Association of Salespeo- tistics Department that confirmed a caldes-Engordany, with 79% of the to- ple of Carlemany, Susagna Venable, few days ago that 68% of visitors who tal, are the parishes with most occu- confirmed that the trend of August came on July did so with the intenti- pancy, while Sant Julià de Lòria and A shop window from Avinguda Meritxell. remained «more or less» like last ye- on of shopping. «Maybe they did buy, Encamp, are those who have less. 33 H 2 www.elperiodic.ad WEDNESDAY, 5 SEPTEMBER 2018 Periodic News POLITICS Exliberals escaldencs negotiate to support UL in the elections MARICEL BLANCH The ex-members of the party continue FRANÇA RIBERAYGUA working on a parish list POLITICIAN «This is about saving EL PERIÒDIC ESCALDES-ENGORDANY Andorra from the chaos @PeriodicAND and disaster that the he liberal sector and local democratic government committee of Escaldes-En- has brought to us» gordany continues to pull the T strings with the will to create a new parish list for the next general of the main themes of the ideology elections. The members who decided that they want to defend, but it is an to resign the Liberals of Andorra party important issue of which «I will not due to disagreements, especially with give up». However, she does not rule the Escaldes committee, opened talks out that if the Escaldes list is kept inde- Josep Pintat andToni Martí in the cabinet. with followers of UL and SDP to dis- pendent with its own program, it can 33 cuss the possibility of making a joint give timely support to UL in case they territorial list in Escaldes. According tain enough votes to choose a candi- but that could give the necessary sup- ted the talks with UL but confirmed need their votes to appoint a Head of to exliberal members, it seems that date for head of Government. Howe- port to UL to govern if the opportu- that no firm decision has yet been ma- Government. the formation of the local list can on- ver, the link would be minimal and nity arises. «It would not be an ideolo- de.When asked about the personal ly be composed with the ex members as long as UL does make any deals gical support, but only to help them ideological incompatibility that she DA, THE NO GO ZONE The liberal ex-pre- and with people who do not have a with DA. According to all interviewed govern» according to sources. could have with UL, Riberaygua made sident insisted that/ «except giving up connection with politics - bearing in members, the ex-liberals are willing it clear that «I will not give up my prin- my ideas, everything can be an opti- mind that only five people are needed to talk to everyone except the Demo- RIBERAYGUA, POSSIBLE CANDIDATE ciples». A specific point where UL and on», making it clear that there is still to be in the list. crats, with whom they are clear that One of the names to lead this hypot/- Riberaygua would disagree on is abor- no fixed agreement and recalling that For now, the idea is to form the ter- they will not arrange an agreement. hetical new parish list is França Ribe- tion. She has repeatedly defended the before the summer they also met with ritorial list, without making a group In any case, the support to Pintat raygua, former vice president of L’A. need to decriminalize the interrupti- members of SDP. What is clear is that at a national level. In fact, with a sta- would not condition, so they say, the However, the politician and lawyer on of pregnancy. An issue where Jo- «DA is the red line». «This is about sa- te vision, what is being considered is ideology of the new parish list. This said that she has not yet made any de- sep Pintat’s followers have always be- ving Andorra from the chaos and di- that the new party could support Jo- would be an independent local list for cisions and that the talks are in a very en more conservative about. Accor- saster that the democratic govern- sep Pintat in the event that the UL ob- «defending the interests of Escaldes» early state. Thus, Riberaygua admit- ding to the ex-liberal, this is not one ment has brought us» she said. H BIG SPORTING EVENT ANA/ M.T 105 police officers and 75 traffic agents for the next Vuelta stage Andorra Tourism, Mobility the Coll de la Comella (Andorra la Ve- although people must take into acco- lla -Escaldes-Engordany). unt that if you want to leave through and Police worked on the For this reason, Mobility recom- the Riu Runer border you will have to security measures together mends to not make any trips, neither do it before 2:00 pm or after 18 hours.