EU warns Spain over development

"The European Parliament has voted in favour of a report criticising Spanish property laws.

The report says Spanish legislation allowing developers to acquire private land below market rates breaches the European Convention on Human Rights."

Are the opening paragraphs in an interesting article on the BBC website entitled EU warns Spain over development which includes an interview by the Danish Green Party MEP Margrete Auken who presented the report.

Let's hope that Spanish national government and the Valencian regional government takes notice and if they don't that the EU carries out it's promised threat "to freeze hundreds of millions of euros in Spain's EU funding if the Spanish government does not tackle what the parliament condemned as "extensive urbanisation" practices."

By the way you wouldn't expect me to miss the opportunity to draw your attention to the fact that Margrete Auken is a member on the European Green Party group as is David Hammerstein, MEP from the Green party in Spain, who is on the petitions committee.

Orihuela Town Council meeting - 27th January 2009

At the full monthly meeting of the Orihuela Town Council (Pleno) held on Tuesday 27th January 2009 the following points which affect Orihuela Costa were discussed.

Unfinished Urbanisation

In the Town Council meeting held on the 31st March 2008, as a result of the proposal by the PP it was agreed unanimously by all parties, to open the tender process for the completion and development of the Montepinar Urbanization situated near to Orihuela city to bring up-to-date the basic infrastructure of the area. The urbanization was built at the time without a licence and urban planning and remains unfinished for some 40 years.

The matter was raised at this Pleno in order that the original Tender process is cancelled, because of the lack of interest from any private developers to take on the work, and for the raising of a new Tender for the development of Montepinar to be carried out.

Why does this concern to the inhabitants of the Costa?

There are eight Urbanizations in the Costa, Castillo de Don Juan East and West, Montezenia, Las Filipinas East and West, Blue Lagoon, Los Almendros and Lomas de Don Juan, which have the same bad situation as that of Montepinar.

Los Verdes Councillor Monserrate Guillén, demanded in the Pleno (Council meeting) that the Government of the PP start the same process to rectify the situation of these neglected Urbanizations of the Costa.

Conflict in the Gaza Strip

An Institutional (Joint) Motion was presented to the meeting by spokespersons of the four parties of the Council in respect of the situation in the Gaza Strip of Palestine. The Motion was agreed unanimously (25 votes), with the following terms.

1. The condemnation of the disproportionate military actions undertaken by the Government of Israel, and similarly to condemn the attacks by Hamas against the people of Israel, and to demand an end to hostilities by both parties.
   
2. To express the deepest indignation at the tragic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and demand that both parties fulfil their obligations, allowing full access for humanitarian aid and the international press.
   
3. To set aside from the 2009 municipal budget, a fund for aid to be given via the Red Cross to provide medicines, medical supplies and food.
4. To urge the Government of Spain, to develop all the diplomatic and political actions necessary not only to resolve this conflict but for the fulfilment of all UN resolutions relating to human rights.

TRAM Extension to Orihuela Costa

As previously reported Los Verdes presented a Motion to the Pleno in respect of the proposed extension of the TRAM system southerly from Alicante.

The Motion called for;

1. That the Orihuela Town Council agree to demand to the Valencia Provincial Government (Generalitat Valenciana) that the TRAM public transport system extension is continued as fas as Orihuela Costa.
   
2. That the Valencia Regional Government undertake a study to ascertain the viability of an extension of the TRAM system from Orihuela Costa and Torrevieja to Orihuela a historic centre.

The three opposition parties (Los Verdes, PSOE and CLR) voted in favour (11) of the Motion but for no understandable reason the PP surprisingly voted against (14) it, therefore the Motion was rejected.

Town Council Meeting - 23rd December 2008

At the full monthly meeting of the Orihuela Town Council (Pleno) held on Tuesday 23rd December 2008 the following points which affect Orihuela Costa were discussed.

The 10th December 2008 was the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. For this reason Los Verdes presented a motion that the Town Council of Orihuela agree to do everything within it's powers to comply with the values enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Similarly to agrees to make available all means possible, to comply with the Declaration, to provide the citizens of the Orihuela Municipality with the maximum guaranteed standards possible in respect of quality of life, health, equality, employment, economic, social participation and safeguarding the Environment. The motion was extended by the input of the P P to include the protection of children, women and those persecuted for political reasons and religious contributions. The motion presented by Los Verdes,with the addition, was agreed unanimously by all members of the Council.

Los Verdes voted with the opposition, in favour of the motion on the PSOE's proposal to declare of Cultural Interest (BIC) the Huerta of the municipality of Orihuela, an idea that emerges from the Dobris Report of the European Union, which highlighted the Huerta of Orihuela along with six other areas of the continent. The motion also asked to be sought from the Valencia plan of action and territorial protection, as was previously the Huerta of Valencia. The motion was rejected with a vote against the Popular Party majority (14 votes against and 11 in favour).