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Very interesting as usual Maria, However the problem is not the lack of laws.
It is simply that those in power choose to ignore laws at random.
Its not the laws that need changing it is those who administer them.
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vilprano
i agree. How many cases have we heard where a black and white case of injustice goes to court, gets the correct ruling against the developer, only to go to appeal and then several months later as if by magic, (if the developer hasn't gone bust) the case is given in favour of the developer (read crook!)
With all due respect to Maria, the law is only as good as those in the position to deliver it.
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I just wish I could be there with you all. Now is truly the time to march forward for all those who are being badly treated through no fault of our own and being given little or no help, advice, reassurance and guidance to boot.
My thoughts will be with all of you.
Regards Christina
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Chrissie
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Maria said
''you may be right, that is why we lawyers exist. I guess''
Maria, that's all very well, but who is regulating you? We know you are one of the good guys, and are doing your best to help those cheated, but if people are unlucky enough to be involved with a bad lawyer in Spain, who does one turn to to complain?. The body in place is as you know just an 'old boys club' who defend each other and are of no use whatsoever to those wronged. I think that is the reason there are so many bad lawyers in Spain compared to the UK.. We take it for granted in the UK that we can trust a lawyer. Once again, it's lack of regulation that lets many people down.
Getting back to my point about bad developers being able to appeal. Many cases are so black and white, like illegal builds, apartments not anything like contract, two year late build time etc. Why on earth do these cases even go to court? Surely there should be a body in place to complain to, that can take positive action against the blatent wrong doers, long before having to resort to a court situation?
Good luck everyone going on the protest march, and those who can't who are least supporting it in their own way by adding their names to petitions and writing to MP's, MEP's etc. As Maria said ....' let's keep the fight up!'
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Thanks Leema, getting ahead of myself I guess. I will be travelling all day tomorrow so just wanted to add my support!
Regards, Poppyseed
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Poppyseed
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My support is with everyone protesting tomorrow. Let's hope that Europe's media is there to report on this. I shall look forward to reading about the Shame in Spain
Tracey 
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Greetings from the Almanzora Valley
We have 200 people, mainly pensioners joining the march TOMORROW 9TH.
Good luck and well done to all concerned from the slipper and cocoa brigade!
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Will be thinking of you all tomorrow, hope it all goes well, good luck to the Priors.
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Maureen & Dennis
Coto Real
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Would someone be so kind to let me know how the march went today just in case the media does not report on the issue as I in the UK.
Just like to say well done to all who were able to attend.
Kind regards
Dot
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Hi Folks
Is anyone able to post how things went today with the peaceful march. Been thinking about you all today and couldnt resist asking how it all went.
Regards Christina
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Chrissie
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'Despite the bad weather across much of the province, the sky was egg-shell blue in Almería City for today's protest march against property abuse and corruption. Around 400 people rode to the city in buses from Vera, Los Gallardos and, above all, Albox to join the protest march. The 'slippers and cocoa' protestors met at the Plaza de Purchena and after some stirring words they marched down the Obispo Orberá, the Poeta García Lorca and the Rambla, escorted by Almería's Finest, to the offices of the Delegado Provincial de la Junta de Andalucía. Robert Barlow, Juan Grima, Concha Arranz and Helen Prior were the key speakers, with translations read by Jeanne and provided by Josephine. I rallied the troops...
The Spanish press was, for once, very much in evidence.
The AULAN, the AUAN, the Levante Sostenible, Ciudadanos Europeos and the Cantoria Residents Association organised and produced the protest.
In the end, Helen Prior and members of the AULAN and AUAN were closeted in with the Junta's representative, Luís Caparros, as the crowd outside chanted Cap-Ar-Ros, Cap-Ar-Ros repeatedly.
As we await the 'results' of the talks, with Mrs Prior sounding pessimistic and the AULAN lawyer appearing rather more cheerful of a breakthrough in the next few days, I'll keep going with regular updates (and re-writes)'. ('The Entertainer Online').
I'm attaching the press reports at Spanish Shilling (Google, please)
...and, Justin, moderator/director of this site, was also present and will post material here.
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Hi all,
I am posting the AUAN/AULAN press release here. The covers the outcome of the meeting with a rather startled Sr. Caparros....
AULAN (Abusos Urbanisticos del Levante Almeriense, No!) and AUAN (Abusos Urbanisticos Almanzora, No!) would like to thank the demonstrators for their commitment and support during the 9 January 2009 march in Almeria.
During the protest, Sr Caparros, the regional delegate for housing and planning, held a private meeting with Len and Helen Prior and representatives of the AUAN and AULAN. Sr Caparrós said that he understood and sympathised with the human aspect of the Priors’ situation, but reiterated that “the Junta (regional government) acted correctly within the law and compensation must be sought from the mayor who issued the license”.
He said that it was the courts that had ordered the demolition of the house, not his department, and that he was “forced to work within the framework of the law”.
During the meeting, the representatives of the marchers said that they considered what had happened to Mr & Mrs Prior and their current situation to be a breach of their human rights. Mrs Prior said they were living in their garage and did not even have a bathroom. She said that they had done everything legally and were forced out of their house with no compensation in sight. Mr Prior asked Sr Caparrós how he would have felt if, after he retired and had spent all his money on a house and done everything correctly, that he found himself thrown out of it. Mr Prior also asked why in the area there were other houses recently built and yet his house was the only one knocked down.
Sr Caparrós did agree that after the AULAN and AUAN jointly broker a meeting between the mayor of Vera and Mr & Mrs Prior, he would speak directly to the mayor of Vera to see if a solution could be found.
He also said that although it was the democratic right of people to protest, he was disappointed that the AUAN had not followed up on his offer of a meeting to discuss the issues. Maura Hillen, representing AUAN, said that after the initial meeting back in September, AUAN had indeed attempted to set up a meeting but had received no response. Sr Caparros replied that there had been no point in holding such a meeting at that time given that there was as yet nothing to report.
The representatives of the marchers stated that they reserved the right to stage further marches.
They will also be making the arrangements shortly for the meeting with Felix López, the mayor of Vera, and the Priors.
With respect to the issues of the Almanzora Valley, Sr Caparrós also agreed with Mrs. Hillen to a technical meeting between representatives of the demonstrators and the Junta in Almeria to discuss progress and steps currently being taken and to be taken in the future to resolve the problems created by planning irregularities. Arrangements are to be made next week.
AUAN and AULAN committee members consider these results to be positive given that the demonstrators rate ongoing dialogue, transparency and consultation with affected parties to be of highest priority. They also believe that if the victims of planning and real estate abuse were kept involved, matters would proceed more smoothly.
Mrs Hillen advised Sr Caparros that the AUAN has submitted an allegation to the Human Rights Council (OHCHR-UNOG) based in Geneva highlighting the failure of the Junta de Andalucia to act in a timely manner with respect to the provision of interim services (electricity and water) to homes caught in the illegality trap. This topic is also tabled for discussion at the technical meeting with Junta representatives.
The issue of “land grab” was discussed, when someone who has bought a property in good faith is later required to give up roughly 50% of their land, is not compensated for the land but forced to pay for infrastructure costs. Sr Caparrós stated that this was the law in Spain. It was pointed out to Sr Caparrós, however, that the protesters considered this practice to be against the human rights of homeowners and that the European Parliament had passed a resolution last year stating the same. Sr Caparrós argued that the law was the law, but conceded that an application could be made to his department on an individual case basis for further discussion.
The Decalogue of the protesters’ demands has been forwarded to the Junta.
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JoMo
this part below speaks volumes to me about Spanish law. What is the point of the EU, if they can't influence blatent injustice such as this? It just makes a mockery of common sense, that alone justice!
............''The issue of “land grab” was discussed, when someone who has bought a property in good faith is later required to give up roughly 50% of their land, is not compensated for the land but forced to pay for infrastructure costs. Sr Caparrós stated that this was the law in Spain.''
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Well - it's the law when you want it to be - and not when you don't. The problem in Spain isn't so much the law - or the slowness of it - but the arbbitrary application.
The other problem, from the point of view of the Northern European residents, is the lack of a voice or of any real power. Few of us bother to vote, and not many more of us register ourselves on the municipal registry, the padrón. In Spain, you don't push around powerful people as they can push back. The Northern Europeans are an ideal target - weak, scared and clueless.
Which is why the protest in Almería was important. The Spanish were surprised to see several hundred elderly foreigners, in carpet slippers, interrupting a modern city. They might have been more surprised, if they had of seen something in the national press, but of course, the press dosen't cover the subject of foreigners criticising 'the best dang country in the world'.
Don't accept that? The same day, several Euro MEPs were in Valencia discussing the Land Grab there (having been stood up at a meeting in Madrid). Nothing in the press about that, either!
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Just like to thank JoMo for informing us of the out come of the march and well done to all who were able to attend.
How I feel so sorry for Mr and Mrs Prior to have lost everything that they worked for and now having to live in a garage they should be enjoying their retirementj.
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