Beachcomber

There has just been a short item on the BBC Radio 4 PM programme with interviews with Helen Prior and MEP Michael Cashman.

You can hear it on Listen Again on the BBC web site.

lcortez

This is all getting out of hand!Spanish economy oscillates between 8th largest in the world and 9th largest in the world (in perpetual competition with Canada for the no 8 slot)Lee8's figs are largely accurate,also it would be pretty easy to estimate the number of foreign residents in Spain by the
no of NIE numbers issued,as Spanish citizens have DNI numbers.
Also the Spanish economy has diversified away from tourism and construction considerably over the last 10yrs,and is now a major player in Utilities,Shipbuilding,Banking,Telecomunications to name but a few.
Also Spanish GDP per Capita is now $25,993,as compared to $27,225 in the UK,and has been forecast to surpass that of Germanies by 2011 (by the Bundesbank,and the ECB,AND EBRD),so Spain will not collapse because a few disgruntled Brits decide to leave!
On a final note.I would like to say ,speaking as a Spaniard,the contribution of immigrants to Spain is recognised (including LA immigrants,they don't just take!),and appreciated
PS;You are allowed to vote in local elections,you can even form your own political parties if you wish (at a local level),so we certainly dont say "and,blimey they dont even want to vote"

Mitzyboy

And what is your opinion on the Spanish authorities knocking down legal homes at a few hours notice, whatever nationality? "Disgruntled" just doesn't cover it really.

lcortez

Have already made my opinions on this law clear on another thread,its disgusting and brings shame on Spain,notice period is 15 days,not a few hrs!,however as previously stated dont feel this is long enough as would not allow time for any sort of legal challenge,quite apart from other variables such as,what if the owner is away etc,also this is not an anti -British law,it also affects Spaniards as well!
My post was in response to the poorley researched economic arguments for expats in Spain,not the main thrust of this thread

weemac

A real disaster for the couple.

Perhaps this crazy situation with Spanish politics/legal system will be brought to the fore and something positive come from it.

Let's hope it will make UK TV news and out ministers take notice.

lcortez

This law has already been put forward for discussion at the EU level,however the local authorities in Spain don't appear to take much notice!
I'm afraid it may take some form of financial punishment or EU Court of Human Rights ruling to sort out the situation, (the right to a home is enshrined ib Spanish law,so these authorities are actually breaking the laws of their own country),

Mitzyboy

So why has no one been able to mount an appeal of any kind? Do you think this is why they always act so quickly, so theres no time to do anything at all?

rachelk

The first part is nothing to be ashamed of.

The 2nd part I'm not sure is true.

lcortez

Very likely,as the authorities should be aware of the law of the land,was actually told of the right to a home by a member of the Civil Guard
My personal opinion is that some sort of action group should be set up by affected individuals,Spanish and otherwise,who will look into the legal side of things,take it to court, (up to EU if necc),and claim compensation to the value of the property destroyed:curse:
In my (limited) experience,hitting people in the wallet generaly gets there attention

PS:destroying peoples homes is also in breach of new EU Constitution (Human Rights legislation),so Spain could be storing up a lot of trouble for the future.

Econ

I think this is devastating for this couple, when something like this can happen in a so called democracy I think the politians of the country and Europe should be strung up. If these people had broke the law by building this property then I wouldn't see a problem but if this property was allowed to be sold to them by the local authorities as it seems, then that is a totally different situation. Any politician that heard about this should get into their car and go and sort this out, not sit smoking a cigar and push it away like everything else they have no interest in. I am afraid having money put aside and giving the victims a couple of nights in a hotel is just not good enough.

I hope any British, Spanish etc. that read this couples plight will stop for 5 minutes and imagine this situation actually happening to them.... not just read it and think it's awful, actually put some time into thinking about it.... it is absolutely horrifying, it is enough to kill most people, this is not democracy.

I know this will not help this couple but personally I feel this current Spanish government are a pack of idiots, when the leader Zapatero lives in cloud cuckoo land it's not a good start. Hopefully those who have read this couples plight and voted for this government will start to realise their incompetence to attend to important matters rather than make changes to try to get votes, and hopefully not make the same mistake by voting for them again. British politics is the same, no longer are the citizens important, only staying in power is... whatever it takes!

I am honestly surprised that this has actually happened, certainly under the circumstances. These things will damage an already crumbling investment from foreigners even more, I can only say the people who let this happen under the circumstances must be very stupid and totally heartless, I would put money on it them in the same situation will not have their homes and life pulled down like this couple.

jackytoo

Has anyone any idea how long this case would take to go through the European courts...probably years! what is this couple supposed to do in the meantime? It is hard to imagine what they are going through after losing their ONLY home.

Econ

I remember several years ago the Fuengirola town hall said it was going to pull down this empty old building beside the square that housed the 'famous to locals' old casino bar, there was an outcry by the locals..... all seemed well and while everyone thought if was probably safe the buldozers moved in at 3.00 in the morning and the building was down by 3.30.

lcortez

Just heard that from relative that apparently "Class Action" suites (or whatever their called),have to be filed within 5 months of the loss occuring to be elgible to be heard,so again another truncated timetable!
It's mainly owing to this limited timeframe that not many of the cases become eligible to be heard!,which in turn means less pressure on Madrid,who have been procrastinating over true reform of this disgusting law:curse:

PS;Dont get me started on Zapatero:curse:

Econ

The major problem with the EU is it is pointless and feeble, the people running it are only interested in themselves, their wages, their pensions, power and * fame *. If a government does something that the EU say's it can't then they don't worry, they do not pay the fines, you and I pay them! so why would any government give a dam about what the EU say, hell they are involved in it as well?

Sorry, but I think people just don't realise the shambles that the EU is.

lcortez

Yet it gave you the opportunity to move to another country quite freely,also how bad do you think the situation re LRAU would be without a higher authority to go to.What is needed here is co ordination of action by concerned parties in order to increase the pressure on Madrid,as opposed to the current trickle of cases coming through (owing to 5 mth limit on cases),noy ill informed rants