Suspicious Spanish Fundraisers Spark Alarm in Andorra's Sant Julià de Lòria

Residents and shopkeepers in Sant Julià de Lòria raised concerns this morning after individuals claiming to represent Spanish charitable organisations approached them seeking donations.

The visitors, linked to at least two separate groups purportedly based across Spain, including the Associació Companys Solidaris with offices in various Catalan and Valencian towns, offered calendars and magazines in exchange for contributions. Witnesses reported the representatives targeting small local businesses in the parish and knocking on doors of private homes, describing initiatives to support vulnerable people, combat social exclusion, and aid reintegration for those recovering from alcohol or drug issues, sometimes linked to petty crime.

Such door-to-door or in-store fundraising activities are prohibited in Andorra, prompting alarm among locals. There is no verified connection between the individuals and the organisations they claim to represent, fuelling suspicions. One shop owner remarked that the collectors simply "take the money and head back across the border at the end of the day," making it impossible to hold them accountable.

These incidents, involving outsiders, occur sporadically in the country but have not yet prompted an official response from authorities. Police have not confirmed any investigations, and the groups' legitimacy remains unverified.