Diana tells Spanish Prime Minister to 'End the Land Grab Now!' (Diana Wallis MEP)

Diana Wallis MEP <info@dianawallismep.org.uk>

Diana tells Spanish Prime Minister to 'End the Land Grab Now!'

January 20, 2010 5:00 PM

Spanish land grab Diana Wallis MEP has personally asked Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero to put an end to the practice of "land grab" in his country, whereby foreign nationals in southern Spain are watching their homes being bulldozed.

Speaking in today's European Parliament debate to mark the start of Spain's six-month EU presidency, Diana, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson on legal affairs asked Mr Zapatero to intervene and put an end to the practice of Spanish regional authorities' ordering for homes bought in good faith to be demolished (see question transcript below).

Speaking after the debate, Diana said:

"This is a burning issue for all citizens who have purchased homes in southern Spain.

"Most did so with all legal paperwork in good order: they have a right to security of property and peace of mind.

"It is unacceptable for British citizens - or anyone else - to live with the threat of a Spanish bulldozer ready to flatten their homes.

"I have asked Mr Zapatero to take action: that is his moral duty both as Spanish Prime Minister, and as a European leader."

NOTES:

1. The Spanish land grab issue has arisen in instances where citizens have purchased properties in southern Spain in accordance with local law, after which regional authorities have informed them that any new property must be designed for specific purposes e.g. agricultural use: home owners are then required to bulldoze their own properties, otherwise the regional government will do so and charge them for the cost

2. The European Parliament resolution of 26 March 2009 on the impact of extensive urbanisation in Spain on individual rights of European citizens, on the environment and on the application of EU law, based upon petitions received (2008/2248(INI))- the Auken Report: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2009-0192

3. Transcript of Diana Wallis' question to the Prime Minister Zapatero (20 January 2010):

"Prime Minister, thank you very much for your very sincere and European speech at the opening of your Presidency. I have to turn to the issue of the many British citizens, and other European citizens, who face the risk of losing their homes in your country. I approach this from a pro-European perspective, where this Parliament has, time and time again, produced reports and held hearings through our Petitions Committee. Indeed, it is only because we are in Europe that we are able to raise this issue with you here today.

"It is a European problem. It is a problem of free movement, of European citizenship, of European justice, and access to civil justice. You made many wonderful comments about European citizenship, fairness and honesty. Please, I do hope that you will be able to translate those comments to those European citizens who face homelessness and the loss of their saving in your country because of what appears to this Parliament to have been administrative abuse."