Spain Arrests 23 on Costa del Sol Corruption Charges

une 18 (Bloomberg) -- Spanish police arrested 23 town hall officials, architects, lawyers and business people in Estepona in the Costa del Sol region on charges of corruption and money laundering.

The arrests took place yesterday as 200 police officers searched 38 homes and businesses, according to a statement from Spain's Interior Ministry. Among those arrested was the town's Mayor, Antonio Barrientos, a member of Spain's ruling Socialist Party. Barrientos was immediately expelled from the party, according to a statement on its Web site.

``Any other officials who may be implicated in the alleged corruption scandal will suffer the same punishment,'' the Web site said.

Real estate co Gilatz buys solar park in Spain

Gilatz Investments Ltd. (TASE: GLTS) will acquire, through its subsidiary, a solar energy park now under construction in Spain, for €31.6 million (NIS 161.3 million).

The 72,600-square meter solar park will be located near Cuenca, a city located 150 kilometers south east of Madrid, and will cost €30 million to develop. It will produce a total of 3.84 megawatt hours through a network of solar receivers the company will build there.

Spaniard plans raffle for flat to escape mortgage

An unemployed Spanish real estate agent is selling raffle tickets in a bid to get rid of his 320,000-euro (255-pound) apartment near Madrid because he is unable to keep up with his mortgage payments and cannot sell it.

Miguel Marina said he hopes to be able to pay off his mortgage, worth 80 percent of the value of his property, by selling 64,000 tickets at 5 euros each, promising his home as the single prize to the winner of a draw.