Conservatives demand Spain steps in to halt demolition of expat homes
Posted, April 02, 2008 @ 00:00
Conservatives call for urgent moratorium on demolitions and future property developments in Spain
Brussels 2nd April-- Conservatives in the European Parliament have demanded that the Spanish Government orders a final halt to the demolition of houses owned by British expatriates.
At a press conference at the European Parliament to highlight the problems faced by thousands of British expatriates following the abuse of property law in Spain, Conservatives called for a moratorium on demolitions and all future land grab developments.
The European Parliament has previously issued four Resolutions calling for action to be taken to protect property owners, and although the law was amended in the form of the new Valencia Land Law (LUV), many still face the expropriation of their land without compensation or arbitrary costs for unnecessary infrastructure developments in their region.
Neil Parish MEP, accusing Spanish councillors of acting in 'collusion' with property developers to undermine fundamental principles of property and human rights, highlighted the case of Jackie Cotterill, a Spanish town councillor, who was threatened with legal action by the national authorities after speaking out for concerned property owners and local environmentalists. He said:
"This abuse of property law is in contravention to the Charter of Fundamental Rights which Spain signed up to in the form of the Lisbon Treaty. The gag on Ms Cotterill is also a blatant breach of democracy and completely goes against the European values Spain promotes."
The Rt. Hon. Sir Robert Atkins MEP, Conservative Coordinator of the European Parliament's Committee investigating the so-called 'land grab' said:
"The Spanish authorities have had long enough to talk about change. Now is the time for action. I am calling on the Spanish authorities to issue an immediate moratorium on demolitions and future land grab developments.
"The damage can already be seen both to those owning property in Spain and to the local environment. If the Spanish authorities fail to finally take action, I will be referring this case to the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights."