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.

What is the Story of Stuff?

"From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever."

Although this presentation uses American based analogies the principles relate to the World and I think is well worth the time to view it. I think it certainly makes you think!

Watch it NOW!

Two more European Resident's stalls at the Campoamor Market.

On the 18th March I reported that Los Verdes had received confirmation that 4 of the European resident traders that the party has been helping with their applications to obtain sites on the Campoamor market were successful. They had been allocated 4 of the 10 pitches that had become available as a result of the recent review, by the Council, of the stalls not being used.

Today (26th March) saw two, of the lucky four, trading at the market only 1 day after receiving the all important official confirmation from the Council of their (stall holders) allocation of a pitch.

Alex and Gill Lightbody sell a range of water filters, batteries, electric light bulbs and household goods.


Barry and Sue Gentry sell a range of arts and craft materials and toys.


Both set of traders stated that they were very pleased and excited to at last be trading at the market after such a long anxious period since their first applications to the Council and thanked Los Verdes for all the party's work and involvement in helping them to obtain a pitch. Sue Gentry said she was “over the moon” about the outcome. Barry added "the Spanish pitch holders showed a willingness to accept us".


It is very good to see the Campoamor market filling up and more of the 80 or so pitches being occupied. However when Los Verdes were told of the recent re-allocations it was stated by the Council representative that only 10 pitches had become available. It follows on therefore that when visiting the market today we would have expected to see somewhere in the region of 95%, or more, of the sites occupied but unfortunately this was not the case, as can been seen from the photograph. In the region of 20 pitches were vacant and the space being used for parking of traders vehicles.


Allowing for some genuine reasons for a small number of traders not attending today, where were the rest of them?

Los Verdes hope that their absence has been noted and that these will count towards the '5 non-attendances and your out' rule so that those traders that want to attend the market, and are still waiting, will get the all important pitch allocation. We will continue to monitor the situation.

Asturias Sunday Rastrillo

A meeting took place on Tuesday 24th March at 16.30 hrs. in the Asturias restaurant to discuss the current problems with the closure of the popular Sunday rastrillo.

34 people attended the meeting organised by Nelinda Neuvinger in the role of the spokesperson for the stallholders, including Carlos Campo, the owner of the premises, Gérard Perret, Coordinator of the Los Verdes Orihuela Costa Working Group, and a spokesperson for the ASIMEPP charity, one of the beneficiary charities of the rastrillo.

A suggestion was put forward that a demonstration should be held to show the Council the support that exists for the continuation of the rastrillo. The meeting was advised by the Los Verdes representative that this was not the time for such action and that it would probably exasperate the situation with the Council. At this time it will be more constructive to follow the correct administrative application procedures.

It was agreed that Nelinda Neuvinger will present a new application to hold the weekly charity rastrillo, supported with the necessary Council required documents, to the Town Hall.

In addition she will forward a copy of the application to Monserrate Guillén, Los Verdes Councillor for the Coast, so that he can talk direct to Councillor Aniorte, PP Councillor for the Coast, and PP Councillor Cutillas, who is responsible for the market licences, to emphasis the benefits of the rastrillo to Orihuela Costa.

Gérard Perret confirmed that Los Verdes will continue to work with the organisers of the Asturias rastrillo to try to see its successful re-opening, as we are with a similar rastrillo at the Emerald Isle leisure facility.

Los Verdes believe that there are several benefits to be had from the approval of the rastrillos (flea markets) including the generation of funds for the charities, the opportunity for residents of the area to profit from the sale and recycling of their unused and surplus items, and the opportunity to meet and integrate socially with other European citizens.

Clr Aniorte visits the Emerald Isle

In the article entitled Clr Aniorte will support Rastrillos at the Emerald Isle on the 11th March I mentioned that as a result of the meeting, arranged by Los Verdes, between the owners of the business and Clr Aniorte, he said he would carry out a site visit during this week to inspect the facilities at the Emerald Isle restaurant for holding 'rastrillos'.

I'm pleased to report that today (18th March) Sr. Aniorte was true to his word and visited the Emerald Isle.

James and Paul Moran (proprietors) confirmed to me that they felt the Councillor's visit was a positive action and that they are more hopeful of a successful outcome of their application to hold the flea markets (rastrillos). Sr Aniorte reaffirmed to them his support for the proposal which will be presented to his colleague Councillor Cutillas, who has responsibility for market licences.