Brussels has ordered a third report on “property abuse” across the country – especially Valencia’s notorious LRAU and LUV legislation. In an apparently new ‘get tough’ policy, Spain is threatened with a painful kick in the coffers with EU funding being slashed unless there is “movement”. And Madrid is already faced with a potentially embarrassing court case over breaches of European law regarding public procurement of land.
The petitions committee of the European Parliament, which protects the rights of EU citizens, voted this week to launch a new investigation into “property scandals taking place in Spain.”
RESPOND
Its decision was a response by MEPs to the flood of complaints – more than 20,000 petitions have been received in Brussels – which affect people from all across Europe. And once again the petitions lodged by the tiny Marina Alta community of Parcent will be central to the new investigation.
The petitions committee president Marcin Libicki and vice-president Michael Cashman made a “memorable” visit to the village on a fact-finding mission last year. Mr Libicki said the European Parliament had already expressed “its severe condemnation and opposition” to massive urbanisation projects “initiated by construction companies and real-estate developers which bear no relation to the real requirements of the towns and villages affected.”
He said MEPs were also concerned such developments were unsustainable and could have a “disastrous” impact on the historical and cultural identity of communities while breaking EU directives on environmental, water and consumer policies. And the committee president said local authorities must involve people to encourage development “in the interests of local communities and not in the sole interest of property developers, estate agents and other vested interests.”
POWER
He said it called into question “frequently excessive powers” given by certain town halls to town planners and developers at the expense of local people “who have their homes and legally acquired property there.” Mr Cashman, Labour MEP for the West Midlands, has championed the cause of land grab victims for several years and said he was pleased the petitions committee was following up this extremely important matter.
“People are living in fear of losing their homes, security and future,” he said. “This affects people from all around the European Union, as well as Spanish citizens.” And he added: “I will continue pushing and harassing on this matter until we have a resolution which addresses the needs of thousands of people who are trapped because of these property scandals. “I urge the government of Spain to consult with regional governments to bring an end to this sorry and shameful series of abuses.”
Mr Cashman also warned: “If there is no movement on this matter we will have to look at what options we have in restricting the flow of European Union funds to Spain.” The news received a warm welcome in Parcent, where the population of around 1,000 people face seeing the countryside around the village swamped with 1,800 new homes.
Jacqui Cotterill, the deputy mayor addressed the petitions committee in Brussels last month, said: “We are very pleased they are going to do a third report and Parcent will be included. “And we hope their findings will be taken seriously and acted upon by the appropriate authorities.” Reaction in the Spanish press was more muted. In Valencia, some papers again attacked Mr Cashman’s stance and appeared to blame Europe for the downturn in both the housing and tourist market.
Source: Round Town News