The Development delegate has together with the mayor visited this new infrastructure executed by the Development Regional Ministry

Works on the new Mojácar Interchange, Development Regional Ministry, Territory and Housing Interaction, have been completed. This infrastructure, which has been executed on a 5,607sqm plot on the Avenida de Andalucía (AL-6111), which is the road which connects the historic centre of the municipality with the coastal development, has consisted of the construction of an Interchange with capacity for four buses to stop at the same time and an adjoining waiting and services building.

The Development delegate, Carmen Belén López Zapata, and Mojácar Mayor, Rosa María Cano and the councillor attached to the mayor’s office, Francisco García, have visited the Interchange and have toured these new facilities. López Zapata highlighted “the commitment of the Andalucía government, which has backed Mojácar with new facilities like this Interchange, together with others like the new health centre, actions on water matters and the Mojácar bypass.”

The Mayor of this Levante locality thanked “the push forward that the Junta de Andalucía is giving to the main projects of Mojácar, that are becoming a reality thanks to the government of Juanma Moreno”.

The functional structure of the interchange is made up of four bays for buses of 15 metres in length and includes the provision of the services necessary to ensure proper operation, as well as a rectangular 50sqm building which houses the toilets and offices, as well as a waiting hall. The building is one floor, allowing access for users with reduced mobility. Likewise, a metal canopy has been built next to the bus bays to give a greater shaded area which makes waiting for the arrival of buses more pleasant. The design sets out an irregular construction with the approximate shape of a triangle. It will be open on all sides and the roof curved. It is completed by a taxi rank and urban bus stop in the surroundings to guarantee access for users and the intermodality of the area. In the coming weeks the formal reception of the works will be carried out, from which time it will be Mojácar Council which is responsible for the management and maintenance of this new station based on the collaboration agreement signed on the 9^th December 2021 in the Mobility General Directorate between the Development Regional Ministry, Territory and Housing Interaction and Mojácar Council.

This new bus interchange will allow for the provision of this public inter-urban transport service in an appropriate way, guaranteeing the safety of the population while getting on and off the buses, protecting users from outside temperatures and inclement weather, preventing bus manoeuvrability problems and improving the organisation of traffic in the municipality. Its centralised location between the historic centre and the coastal development, its direct access to the main artery which unites the two centres, the AL-6111 road, and due to being close to the roundabout that connects with the Mojácar bypass, an artery, the purpose of which is to relieve traffic congestion on the Paseo Marítimo, at the same time as providing rapid and direct access from the village, connecting it with the A-7 Mediterranean Motorway.

This action is within the framework of one of the major objectives of the Development Regional Ministry, Territory and Housing Interaction, to improve the quality of passenger transport services by road, through, among other measures, the construction, reform and modernisation of interchanges, bus stations and access points to the transport network, in coordination with the affected local administrations. In this way, it contributes to raising the quality of life in the cities of Andalucía and to facilitating the connection and integration of the different areas of the territory.

The municipality of Mojácar, has a population of close to 7,000 inhabitants, a population that in the summer season increases to 40,000 inhabitants. Its economic base is mixed, supported by intensive agriculture and tourism, the service sector clearly being predominant in Mojácar municipality.

Currently making a stop in Mojácar municipality are the autonomous concessions VJA-151: “ALMERÍA  AND LÍJAR WITH EXTENSION TO SIERRO AND CHIRIVEL” and VJA-031: “GARRUCHA ZURGENA STATION WITH EXTENSION TO MOJÁCAR AND HIJUELAS”, which allow this municipality to be linked with other towns in the province, such as Almería capital and Huércal-Overa, with the rest of the provinces of Andalucía and with the other intermediate municipalities on these routes. Likewise, these routes are joined with other interprovincial and state routes, the coordinated services between the aforementioned VJA-151 line and the VAC-229: “ALMERÍA – MURCIA” and another between the VAC-229 and the VAC-055: “MADRID- ALICANTE WITH HIJUELAS”.Together all these routes, on any working week, add up to more than 40 bus trips. A number that increases on some routes at certain times of the year, such as the

Mojácar began the religious acts of its Easter Week with the Procession of the Donkey and the Blessing of the Palms, which this year took place in the Plaza del Caño at the City Gate, an emblematic point of the old town and original entrance to the municipality through which Mojácar was accessed, going through the wall that centuries ago protected it.

At 11 in the morning the Parish Priest, accompanied by the children who will receive their first Communion this year, went to the City Gate, where he proceeded to bless the palms that numerous residents and visitors carried in commemoration of the entrance of Jesus to Nazareth.

Today Tuesday, 4th of April, the Way of the Cross will take place, going from the Santa María Parish Church, going around the village streets, carried by float bearers and accompanied by the prayers of residents and visitors who escort it throughout the route.

On Maundy Thursday at 6.30pm, the “in Coena Domini” Holy Mass will start following the papal bull proclaimed by Pope Urban V, to, at 10.30pm, start the procession of Our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth and the Our Lady of Sorrows.

On Good Friday, 7th of April, at 12 midday, the Procession of the Meeting will start, one of the most beautiful that takes place in Mojácar, recovered from tradition.

The Virgin, with black mantle, and her son, the Nazarene, depart from the Santa María Parish Church and direct their steps along different routes through the old town, enveloped in a sepulchral silence, both accompanied by the light of the faithful’s candles.

The Plaza del Caño is the meeting point. The Virgin awaits him, and the bearers of the Nazarene, in front of his mother, make the “three falls” while everyone intones the Salve Mojaquera with great devotion and seclusion.

            After officiating, at 6.30pm in the Santa María Parish Church, the Holy Offices of the Passion, Death of the Lord and the Adoration of the Cross, at 10.30pm the procession of the Holy Burial will take place, which will go around the streets of the locality in silence.During these days, the streets of Mojácar are the scene of processions with platforms made especially in keeping with the streets of Mojácar: narrow, winding and especially beautiful, which throughout Easter Week are full of the scent of incense, candles and flowers. Nor could there be absent the faithful, Nazarenes and Manolas (women wearing black and mantillas), who walk in procession accompanied by the notes of the Municipal Music Band.

In Mojácar there exist two Brotherhoods: the Nazarene and the Our Lady of Sorrows, made up of residents who throughout the year are responsible for finding the means to maintain the images and the platforms, adapt them and carry them in procession.

This locality has always had a great tradition in Easter Week. Before the Spanish Civil War, with a parish that had a spectacular wooden altarpiece, choir and images of great artistic quality from the hands of Salcillo, the population expressed itself around the most significant acts in which the whole village took part.

At this time the Santa María Parish Church was burned, the only one in the area that was destroyed, including the images of its interior and the religious and civil documents.

The image of Our Lady of Sorrows was acquired in the 1940s. A carving of the Venetian school in the style of the 40s-50s, although the costumes she is dressed in at Easter Week were preserved from the time of greatest splendour and inherited from the Virgin of Salcillo.

The Nazarene also arrived, which travelled from its place of origin by train to Zurgena, where it was received and taken to Mojácar. Of great beauty, it is a painstakingly made carving which draws the admiration of all.

Mojácar Council, in collaboration with the Almanzora Levante Vélez Waste Consortium, will launch a new campaign in which it will visit hospitality sector establishments to promote the recycling of glass container waste, facilitate their work, and thus comply with current legislation that makes it mandatory for these major generators to correctly manage their waste.

The hospitality sector generates approximately 50% of single-use glass containers, hence its collaboration is key to increasing the figures for the selective collection of glass containers in the locality and achieving recycling targets. For this reason, advancing the implementation of sustainable habits in the sector represents a significant improvement in the fight against climate change, and for the health of the municipality.

A team of environmental reporters is carrying out surveys and interviews with hospitality sector establishments in the municipality to ascertain first-hand their needs and in order to adapt existing resources. In addition, they will offer detailed information to the premises on how to recycle correctly and on the social, economic and environmental advantages of recycling glass containers.

In addition, through these visits, knowledge of the current regulations with respect to glass container recycling will be reinforced, and establishments will be reminded of the obligation to separate and correctly deposit glass container waste in the green container.

With the aim of facilitating glass recycling in the Horeca (Hotels, Restaurants and Catering) channel, Ecovidrio – a non-profit entity responsible for recycling glass containers in Spain – will provide the municipality with special containers, equipped with a wider opening and a hydraulic lifting system, which allows for the recycling of large amounts of glass. Likewise, the entity will deliver, at no cost to the hospitality sector, adapted bins with wheels to facilitate the transport of glass waste.

The glass deposited in the containers is 100% recycled and used to manufacture new containers, indefinitely and without losing its original properties. The recycling of glass containers is a fundamental element for contributing to sustainable development, promoting the transition towards a circular economy and fighting against climate change. In addition, the recycling of glass containers is an activity that supports compliance with the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically, it results in the objectives (11) Sustainable cities and communities, (12) Responsible production and consumption and (13) Climate action.