First Property Choice makes it Easy to Find Information on Cheap Spanish Property and Marbella Prope

First Property Choice makes it Easy to Find Information on Cheap Spanish Property and Marbella Prope: "latest buzz going around in the real estate market is about the reduced prices of prime properties in Spain. Recession is considered the main reason for the reduction in prices of Spanish properties. Most of the real estate companies have thus started listing their Spanish and Marbella properties at much reduced prices. However the downside of these listings for cheap Spanish property and Marbella property is that they fail to give the correct information to the customers.
First Property Choice is a real estate company which aims to become the first choice of people wanting to sell or buy Marbella property, cheap Spanish property, Calabria property, Turkey property and many other properties. Yes, like any other real estate company First Property Choice also lists cheap Spanish properties and Marbella properties with reduced prices. But unlike other companies it has made sure that customers are able to find the information they are looking for regarding the property they wish to invest in."

The Latest in Luxury Resort & Real Estate News - Real Estate Channel Global News Center

The Latest in Luxury Resort & Real Estate News - Real Estate Channel Global News Center: "Group Metro, the Dominican Republic's leading real estate and transportation company, together with their partner Frank Pimentel of Cotuicar announced March 29 the grand opening of its newest beachfront development: Marbella.

This luxurious development, which includes both residential and hotel units, is located in Juan Dolio beach. For this special event, Group Metro hosted an exclusive event on the beach in front of the stunning new residential property. Among those who attended were the country's most elite figures including the President Leonel Fernandez, Minister of Tourism Francisco Javier Garcia and others.

'After three years in development, we are very pleased to announce the grand opening of Marbella,' exclaims Dr. Luis Jose Asilis, chief executive of Group Metro. 'It is always such a great feeling of accomplishment when a vision becomes a reality. Today, we are overjoyed to finally welcome all the new residents and guest to Marbella who will enjoy it for years to come.'"

Britons return to sun, sea, sand and Spain - Times Online

Britons return to sun, sea, sand and Spain - Times Online: "They became a symbol of the global housing market crash, unsold, half-built, lining the Mediterranean like skeletal relics of a bygone, more prosperous age.
But villas and apartments on the Spanish Costas are suddenly hot property again as Britain’s second-home buyers rediscover the attractions of life in southern Spain.
Fresh from a chilly, dismal winter, drawn by falling prices and apparently undaunted by the low sterling-euro exchange rate, a new generation of would-be buyers has descended on Spain, according to the Spanish division of Taylor Wimpey.
Typical holiday home buyers are no longer “stereotype retirees”, the UK’s biggest housebuilder said. Instead, executives with families who spend an average of 60 days a year in Spain have emerged as the dominant British buyers in a region that enjoyed huge popularity during the credit-fuelled boom years."

SPAIN rampant piracy and legal commercial P2P has put the country on the verge of “no longer being a viable home entertainment market.”

Sony boss Michael Lynton complains that rampant piracy and legal commercial P2P has put the country on the verge of “no longer being a viable home entertainment market.”
According to Michael Lynton, chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, piracy is so rampant in Spain that Hollywood studios are considering discontinuing the sale of DVDs there altogether.“People are downloading movies in such large quantities that Spain is on the brink of no longer being a viable home entertainment market for us,” he told the LA Times. In the last few years illegal movie downloads have soared from 132 million to 350 million while DVD sales have declined by some 30%. This means Hollywood could soon find itself in a situation like South Korea where they simply gave up and left.“It is very sad and very shameful for Spain that we should reach the stage where companies are thinking of leaving,” said Octavio Dapena of the Spanish film rights association Egeda. “I hope it doesn’t happen and that Spain reacts in time.”Spain faces the rare juxtaposition where the courts there have ruled on numerous occasions that individual file-sharing is legal so long as there is “no talk of money or any other compensation beyond the sharing of material available among various users.”To do what it can to prevent people from profiting from copyright infringement the govt recently passed legislation that will allow a judge with the National Audience, the country’s federal court, to close or block websites accused of facilitating copyright infringement within 4 days as compared to the current year-long process.The real problem in all of this is that studios bosses like Lynton don’t seem capable of monetizing the future of content distribution. Lynton, if you recall, is the same person who said last year that he “doesn’t see anything good having come from the Internet” so it’s not surprising that he hasn’t developed a way to formulate an effective online distribution model to compete with illegal alternatives like file-sharing and streaming.In fact, he said he’s “worried” about the spread of faster broadband connections, even in the US.The only words of wisdom seem to come from an unlikely source, Bob Pisano, the MPAA’s interim chief executive.“We need to get a handle on it (piracy) if we don’t want to end up like the music industry, where their business model didn’t keep pace with the realities of the new marketplace,” he said.Retooling the business model is the key to competing in Spain. All businesses that don’t heed the marketplace will fail unless artificially supported by govt intervention. If Hollywood wants to maintain a viable home entertainment market in the country then it ought to focus on giving consumers what they want, which seems to be online content distribution.Delivering a digital product is far cheaper than producing and a physical one, and so it could even afford to drop the price dramatically and make the product more enticing. Spaniards may not be willing to pay $10 for a physical DVD, but surely they’re willing to pay $1 to stream or $2-3 to download it at home or on the go.
I’m no fancy movie boss, but even I could figure this one out.

toll road planned between Ronda and the Costa del Sol. ?????

A leading Junta official has now admitted that she has no idea when the ‘ecologically damaging’ motorway will be built. Although public works chief, Dolores Fernandez, still insists that the project will eventually be completed, she stopped short of explaining exactly when. And, despite repeated Junta guarantees that the road will be operational by 2012, this now looks impossible. In fact, it is increasingly likely that building will not even have begun. The project was originally backed by Ronda mayor Antonio Marin Lara in 2007, after the Junta unveiled its toll road plans. A total of 400 million euros was set aside to replace the winding 45-kilometre stretch with a high-speed dual carriageway. The road connects Ronda to San Pedro de Alcantara and is one of the region’s most dangerous, comprising of 365 bends.Estimates suggest that it would cut travel time from Ronda to the coast by 20 minutes, but it would reportedly cost five euros to use and also be an environmental disaster. Plans involved carving through the Sierra Bermeja – a European protected site – as well as damaging chestnut growing areas in the higher Genal Valley.It could also harm a key aquifer in the Sierra del Oreganal, north of Benahavis.Last year a report by university professors from Granada and Malaga recommended improving the current road by adding an extra lane for overtaking.Academics also proposed increasing train services between Malaga and Ronda

Air Comet, on Tuesday finally applied for voluntary bankruptcy protection, three months after its licence to fly was withdrawn.

Air Comet, on Tuesday finally applied for voluntary bankruptcy protection, three months after its licence to fly was withdrawn.It’s debts amount to 160 million €, and now the bankruptcy process is finally underway it means that the workers can claim the back pay they are owed.The company was hoping to find a buyer or reach an agreement with the main banks to have given it credit, but finally it has admitted defeat and given in to union pressure. Unions say wages amounting to four or five million € remain outstanding.It also means that those passengers affected by the collapse of the company can now apply to the judge for compensation.It should be noted that despite the size of the debt, the company could find itself with assets larger than the debt because it is still waiting to hear whether the Argentine Government is going to pay compensation to it of 222 million €.

EURO MP has slammed the visit of British minister Chris Bryant as insincere.

Marta Andreasen claims the visit to try and solve the huge demolition issue currently affecting hundreds of expats around the region didn’t amount to much.She explained: “I don’t think he achieved very much. I don’t think his visit was very sincere.
“He’s not doing anything to resolve the problems of the people who are already suffering.”Minister for Europe Bryant visited pensioners in Almeria and announced that Spanish civil servants will now work in the British Consuls in Malaga and Alicante.At the time he stressed that finding a solution to the problem was out of the British Government’s remit. “Obviously it’s not for us to tell the Spanish what to do, but whether it’s an amnesty or a change in the law, we are pushing for whatever solution is needed,” he added.Bryant also met with demolition-threatened couple John, 82, and Muriel Burns, 70. And John Burns explained that, although any direct prevention action is out of their jurisdiction, at least officials are now taking note. “It meant a great deal that they came and spoke to us. It was only meant to be an hour but they were here for two,” he said.

Guardia Civil found the bodies of some 100 dogs as it broke up an illegal sales network in Cáceres

Guardia Civil found the bodies of some 100 dogs as it broke up an illegal sales network in Cáceres. The owner of the premises was arrested in the operation codenamed ‘toys’.He had been selling pedigree puppies imported illegally from Slovakia, despite many of them suffering from poor health and some of them from malformed bodies. According to the records some of the dogs had been vaccinated before they were born.
SEPRONA, the environmental wing of the Guardia Civil had been working on the case for six months after receiving several complaints from people in Badajoz, after dogs were dying shortly after being purchased.At the Cáceres premises on Tuesday they found 58 cages containing 75 puppies from ten different breeds including schnauzers, shi tzu, yourkshire terriers and poodles among others.
Tragically they found the bodies of nearly 100 dogs frozen and stored in two freezers. It’s thought they were dead on their arrival in Spain, or shortly after, and were being kept by the business as justification for an economic claim later.

Belgian Consul in Málaga, Claude de Hennin run over by a British resident in his car at the doors of the Belgium Consulate in Mijas.

Belgian Consul in Málaga, Claude de Hennin, who has lived in Spain for 41 years says he still cannot believe how he was attacked after an argument with his neighbours on Monday.He claims that he was run over by a British resident in his car at the doors of the Belgium Consulate in Mijas. Diario Sur reports he says he saw a child about five years old with a woman by the exit to the parking area and warned them he was about to drive out. The woman then turned to insult him in English, and he turned away and went inside.Later in the street though a British man with a dog came up to him and continued the insults. The Consul then called the local police and while he was waiting for them to arrive, the British man got into his British plated car to get away. The 70 year old Consul tried to block his escape, but the man started the car and ran into him, causing bruising to his right leg and arm.He said he wanted to thank the Guardia Civil, Local Police and doctor for his treatment and hoped that the case would be resolved quickly so he could forget about it all.

people affected by the Ley de Costas will give their evidence to the Petitions Committee in Brussels.

European Parliament has launched another attack on Spain’s coastal law ‘Ley de Costas’ describing it as ‘abusive’Labour and Conservative British MEPs criticised the law on the Petitions Commission, in their opinion, it confiscates assets of those who purchased in good faith.Conservative M.E.P. Roger Helmer said he was recommending his constituents not to buy property in Spain.
‘If Spain wanted to enter the EU today, it would have many problems because of its lack of respect of the right to property.For Labour, Michael Cashman said, ‘There is a lot of corruption which is tarnishing the image of Spain. It is a totalitarian country’.For Spain the General Director for Coasts, Alicia Paz, said that the Spanish Constitution defines the first line of the beach as public land, and that all Spanish Governments have applied the law since it was approved in 1988. El País considers that was an indirect comment against the Partido Popular deputy, Carlos Iturgaiz, who has said that ‘confiscating the assets of the owners converts them into squatters’.
The EU Petitions Commission has already launched a hard-hitting report on town planning in Spain, but now has moved on to the coastal law having received ‘dozens of complaints’ from Britons, Germans and Spanish residents, because the law grants a 60 year concession on occupation on the properties built on public land before 1988, after which time they will be demolished. The author of the earlier report, Margaret Auken, Danish Green MEP, described the Ley de Costas as ‘extraordinary’ and that the problem is how it is being applied unequally, as she saw modest homes which were not protected on the one hand and large hotels being built on the other.

Many retired Europeans, most of them Britons and Germans, purchased homes on the beach in good faith, without the bank or notary advising them that, under the Ley de Costas, they were only purchasing the concession and not the freehold. Later they discovered the truth when they could not sale the properties.

Alicia Paz said there was a lot of confusion over the law, and many had commented on the demolition of properties at Cho Vito on the Canaries, but here she said the properties were actually also built illegally. some of the people affected by the Ley de Costas will give their evidence to the Petitions Committee in Brussels.

heavy rain on September 21, 2007 had caused structural movement in the house and the damage was not covered by their policy.

Barrie and Janet Waterfall were full of hope when they moved to Spain nine years ago.
Spanish retirement home, which is now uninhabitable But their dreams of a happy retirement have been shattered and their 21-year marriage has been brought close to breaking point - all because of a bitter dispute with their buildings insurer, Axa Spain.

Retired teacher Barrie, 67, and Janet, 68, face financial ruin. They own a property rendered uninhabitable because of structural damage caused by a leak from a water main. They cannot sell it and now owe more than £39,000 to banks, credit card companies and friends. The mounting debt is the result of a costly legal battle with Axa Spain,

which has involved them employing architects and surveyors. The couple have also had to rent an apartment for the past two years. Janet, a former senior administrator at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, has moved back to Lewes, East Sussex, to stay with friends because she is so distressed. Spanish builders have told the couple it will cost about 110,000 euros (£98,000) to repair the damage - money they do not have.

The builders want to inject industrial foam under the house to shore it up, which Barrie says will cost at least £40,000, rebuild the internal walls and replace the bathroom and kitchen.

The couple paid 158,000 euros (£144,000) for their 200-year-old three-bedroom terraced house in the market town of Xativa near Valencia with a 112,000 euros mortgage from BBVA in Spain.

Barrie, who was head of languages at a prep school in Dorset, says if it was repaired it would be worth only about 145,000 euros because of the drop in property prices.

In late 2007, the couple noticed small cracks in an arch in the hallway. These were repaired, but in January 2008 the cracks reappeared and the couple contacted Axa Spain, part of the multinational Axa Group.

The Waterfalls chose Axa because they trusted the brand and paid about 200 euros a year for joint buildings and home contents cover and had never made a claim.

Axa sent an assessor to review the damage, but within a week the claim was rejected.
The company said heavy rain on September 21, 2007 had caused structural movement in the house and the damage was not covered by their policy.
'Jan and I looked at each other in disbelief,' recalls Barrie. 'Axa had also chosen a date to blame for this so-called heavy rainfall that we knew had been dry, sunny and warm. It was ludicrous. We felt they were trying to wriggle out of paying.'
Days later, after a complaint from a neighbour who had water coming into his property, the town council sent workmen to dig up the road outside the Waterfalls' home.

Thousands of Britons have bought Spanish properties in good faith, only to find they were illegally built on protected land.

800 British and Irish residents marched in Almeria after demolition orders were issued for eight expat-owned homes in the nearby town of Albox.
The owners are appealing but it is feared many more homes are under threat after Spanish regional authorities overruled planning permission.

Thousands of Britons have bought Spanish properties in good faith, only to find they were illegally built on protected land.

Albox home owner Nicola Veitch, of Jersey, said: 'We are devastated. We have every legal document under the sun for our property.'

pensioners lost their fight in the European Court of Human Rights to prove this pension freeze violates anti-discrimination rules.

One in five expats claims a sterling pension, with more than a quarter of Brits living in Spain (28%) and a third of British expats in Germany relying on this as their core source of income, according to Moneycorp. More than half a million pensioners living in Commonwealth countries such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand suffer a further blow because their state pensions don't rise each year in line with inflation. Only those living in the European Economic Area and countries with reciprocal agreements in place with the UK, such as the U.S. and Jamaica, are protected against inflation. Yesterday, these pensioners lost their fight in the European Court of Human Rights to prove this pension freeze violates anti-discrimination rules. Tim Finch, head of migration at think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research says: 'The weakness of the pound will mean more people will lose jobs and find it harder to live overseas and come home. This is likely to be a growing trend over the next few years. 'Generally, the big wave of lifestyle emigration where people got their place in the sun for a better life was a reflection of the boom years when you had high house prices and decent pensions.

Pensioners abroad have arguably been hit the hardest as they rely most heavily on their savings and pensions built up in the UK

four million Brits living abroad are planning a mass return to home shores after seeing their savings and income stripped by the plunging values of the pound and their property. Pensioners abroad have arguably been hit the hardest as they rely most heavily on their savings and pensions built up in the UK. They've been hit by a declining pound and falling interest rates.
The dramatic slump has slashed their income by a third and has turned Brits into the paupers of Europe.

Fears over job security and falling property prices are also giving expats second thoughts, according to research from foreign exchange specialist Moneycorp.
Some 845,000 Brits living in Spain and France have suffered an 8% drop in house prices in the year to August 2009 alone. This wiped €30,000 off the average property on the Costa del Sol.
Sterling has slumped from over €1.50 to £1 in January 2007 to close to parity, taking a terrible toll on the estimated 5.5m British expats, and particularly the 1.1 million pensioners living abroad. Moneycorp research shows that 70% of all expats are now considering returning to the UK.
A retired couple living in Spain, for example, both drawing a full state pension of £95.25 per week, will have seen their combined monthly income - on their pension alone - drop by €396 over three years, from €1,263 to €867.

The warning signs that hundreds of thousands of Brits may be ready to return to the UK started when the credit crunch began in 2008. That year, the number of expats returning home jumped by a fifth on the previous 12 months. The number of British homeowners downsizing or selling up and sending money back to the UK doubled last year, foreign currency specialist HiFX reports.

It has seen an 180% increase in the number of euro to sterling transactions and an 11% increase in the number of US dollar to sterling transactions in the past six months, compared to last year. More people over 65 than any other age group are repatriating.

Mark Bodega from HiFX says: 'The pound's fall to historic lows in recent months has meant the cost of living or running a holiday home on the continent has risen to unaffordable levels for many people.'

A weak property market is also proving to be a nightmare for many of the estimated 1.5m Brits who own homes abroad. Many are being forced to sell their property at a loss, particularly in countries like Spain.

The weak pound has proved a blessing for those who receive an income in euros, for example from renting a property. Sterling's slump means they will get far more pounds for their euros.

Brennon Nicholas, managing director at estate agency Cluttons Spain says: 'We have seen an increase in the number of people coming to us who are struggling because their pensions and savings do not stretch as far as they used to. They're selling up because of the favourable exchange rate but the market is extremely tough and there is a lack of buyers.'

Britons Daniel Rushton and Matthew Daly have been arrested in connection with an armed robbery at a supermarket in Puerto Banus, Spain

Britons Daniel Rushton and Matthew Daly have been arrested in connection with an armed robbery at a supermarket in Puerto Banus, Spain

Protecting the Rock’s reputation from any fallout as a result of the Marrache case.?

Gibraltar said yesterday that it would work with the Financial Services Commission [FSC] to protect the Rock’s reputation from any fallout as a result of the Marrache case.The statement came amid concerns that an ongoing criminal investigation into the affairs of prominent local law firm Marrache & Co could impact on the Rock’s financial sector.The association said it would encourage members to take on Marrache clients swiftly and at minimum cost if this was deemed appropriate by regulators.
On Monday, the FSC cancelled the licences of seven entities linked to Marrache & Co, as well as the licences of Benjamin and SolomonMarrache. A day later, police arrested the two brothers and accused them of falsifying documents to hide E1.8m of missing money belonging to a client.The men spent a night in custody but were released on Wednesday after providing sureties worth £600,000 and accepting strict bail conditions.The investigation remains open and further charges and arrests are possible, Attorney General Ricky Rhoda told the Magistrates Court.Finance professionals and lawyers fear that the Marrache case, which will take months to investigate before it is heard in court, could unfairly tarnish Gibraltar’s image.
The finance centre is a major employer in Gibraltar and plays a vital role in the local economy.The aim now to reassure international finance clients, both those who are already here and those who are looking to bring business to Gibraltar.In a statement issued by chairman Nick Cruz, ATCOM welcomed the measures taken by the FSC to “robustly” prevent the suspect entities from further trading until the matter was fully investigated.That step had mitigated the potential loss to any clients of Gibraltar’s trust and companies sector, the association said.ATCOM also welcomed the FSC’s decision to appoint a seasoned auditor, Freddie White, as the authorised administrator of all the suspended companies, a step which the association said would minimise inconvenience to clients.Mr White, managing director of Grant Thornton in Gibraltar, will help clients of Marrache & Co’s Gibraltar office to transfer their business to other licensed entities.ATCOM said it would “…happily engage and assist Mr White and the FSC in whatever way is deemed appropriate, including encouraging its members to accept...the business of the affected companies at minimum cost and as expeditiously as possible so as to minimise interference to their business.”Such transfer would be subject to due diligence and standard checks on customer identity.The ATCOM statement added: “Gibraltar was the first jurisdiction to licence trust and company business in 1989 and its members have consistently met the highest international standards of regulation as recognised by numerous international bodies, including the OECD and IMF.” “ATCOM will continue to work closely with the FSC to develop and encourage a well regulated and prosperous trust and company management sector…that does what it conceivably can to prevent rogue businesses putting at risk Gibraltar’s well earned and respected reputation as a safe place to quite properly do business.”ATCOM’s statement came as the Marrache case began to generate media coverage outside Gibraltar.Yesterday, the international legal profession’s leading trade publication, The Lawyer, published a report on the criminal investigation into the affairs of the Marrache brothers.The publication, which is read by lawyers around the world, sought reaction from Marrache & Co’s London office, where partner Steven Daultrey said he felt “anger, rage and incandescence at certain names working in the firm’s Gibraltar office”.
“I have an office here with people whose livelihoods I have to consider,” he told The Lawyer. “I’m utterly speechless.” According to Mr Daultrey, the Gibraltar firm had nothing to do with the London office, sharing only the brand name. “[Benjamin and Solomon Marrache] aren’t signatories here,” he told The Lawyer. “We do English-law work only.”“I’m concerned for the London office clients too, but at the moment those clients have been nothing but 1,000 per cent supportive.”“We haven’t had one client complain, they’re saying they’ll do anything to help.”
“They receive a good level of advice here but, in terms of reputation, the situation is awful.”Marrache & Co’s offices in Spain, Lisbon, Prague and Luxembourg are also understood to be linked to the firm by name only, The Lawyer said.

Two schools, in Manilva and Marbella, had to be evacuated after becoming flooded

Two schools, in Manilva and Marbella, had to be evacuated after becoming flooded, and in Manilva the A7 was closed for a time as underpasses to gain access to Sabinillas and Puerto de la Duquesa were underwater.There were several landslides affecting roads in the Manilva area.
In Marbella the El Ángel college was flooded and evacuated and a wall collapsed close to the Barceló hotel in San Pedro Alcántara. More than 50 litres per square metre was recorded in Marbella and as much as 80 in some areas.In Estepona the marina was flooded and several local rivers and streams burst their banks leading to flooding of homes and businesses, with the Urbanization Marimontes worst affected. Cancelada was also cut off for a time.Last 12 hours rainfall figures to 7am Tuesday morning
82 litres per square metre in Casarabonela., 84 in Coin and 108 in Ojén.The Spanish Meteorological Agency has extended the orange alert for heavy rain in Málaga province until Tuesday midday.

Benjamin and Solomon Marrache, appeared before the Magistrates Court yesterday charged with false accounting in respect of E1.8m of client money.

Two senior executives at a prominent Gibraltar law firm, brothers Benjamin and Solomon Marrache, appeared before the Magistrates Court yesterday charged with false accounting in respect of E1.8m of client money.The two men were arrested on Tuesday and spent the night in police cells before being ferried to court in a police van.
The two Marrache brothers were ushered by police through a side entrance to Central Police station just before 10am and appeared before the magistrate in a crowded courthouse a short while later.Attorney General Ricky Rhoda, appearing for the Crown, urged the magistrate to impose stringent bail conditions for fear that the two men might flee the jurisdiction.Keith Azopardi, the defence lawyer representing the Marrache brothers together with Samantha Sacramento, said there was no risk of them leaving Gibraltar because both were of previous good character and had strong family ties here.Stipendiary Magistrate Charles Pitto granted bail but set tough conditions on each defendant, in the form of two sureties to the value of £300,000 for each brother. The court also set a further financial condition of £150,000 in their own recognizance for each defendant.In simple terms, failure to appear at future court hearings could cost the defendants and their guarantors up to £900,000 in total.Both men also had to hand in their travel documents and agree to reside at their respective family homes, as well as report twice weekly to police.By the end of the day yesterday, a number of persons had stepped up to provide £600,000 in sureties for the release of the two men.At an hour-long hearing in the evening, Mr Pitto questioned the guarantors closely but accepted the sureties. The two brothers were released from custody later that evening.Yesterday’s developments in court were the opening shots in what will undoubtedly develop into a lengthy and complex case.Mr Rhoda said the sums of money involved “could be quite substantial”.
He said the two men were currently facing “holding charges” and that more charges could follow at a later stage. The Attorney General also said there could be further arrests as a result of an ongoing police investigation.Earlier this week police raided several commercial and residential properties linked to Marrache & Co and seized documents and computers.
Prosecutors allege that in January this year, the brothers falsified documents to conceal a shortfall of E1.8m of funds belonging to a company called Portino Comercio Internacional. One document, a letter signed by Solomon Marrache, purported to show that the money was held by the brothers on the client’s behalf. Another document, a letter signed by Benjamin Marrache, purported to give authority to Natwest bank to transfer the client’s money to a bank in Ireland.But prosecutors said that the Gibraltar bank account supposed to hold the company’s cash in fact had a balance of less than nine Euros and no credit facility.

Killing the Golden Goose More demolition orders have been issued in Albox

More demolition orders have been issued in Albox despite confusing statements by the Town Hall and the Mayor, Sr. José GarcíaIn an interview published on the English language Arboleasnow website , Sr. Garcia is reported to have denied the rumour that nine houses are affected, saying that only eight demolition orders have been issued "by the courts".This statement belies the fact that on the 15th December another of our members was issued with an order not by the courts, but by Albox Town Council itself!And on January 20th, the Official Bulletin board carried an instruction to demolish a building on a plot of land near Alcantarilla, Albox. However, the plot referred to has two homes on it as well as an uncompleted structure.We notified the owners and met with the Town Hall Secretary, who agreed to review the case file and advise us whether the order referred to one, or all, of the structures on the plot. In spite of repeated attempts we are still waiting for a response. The owners have only fifteen days to lodge an appeal and are very worried. They need this information from the Town Hall, and they need it now.
We have been trying to set up a meeting with Sr. Garcia for three weeks. Having cancelled two previous appointments with us, we are now told we cannot speak to him until the middle of February. This, despite the fact that we represent eight of the affected families.It has been because of delays and lack of communication that the legal process in these cases is so advanced it has resulted in people being deprived of their right to defend themselves.Avoiding difficult questions is not an option for the authorities. In order to solve the problem we need ongoing, open and co-operative dialogue to reach a consensual solution involving public bodies, interested associations and all the political parties.

Helen and Len Prior have been ordered to be given a temporary home by a judge’s order.

British Couple Helen and Len Prior have been ordered to be given a temporary home by a judge’s order.Lawyers acting for the couple are claiming compensation from the local council for the loss of their home and also applied for ‘provisional measures’ to house them in a similar property to the one they lost, and it is these measures which the judge has ordered be met. The local council now has to find them a similar property or pay the rent on another one while the case is completed.
AUAN, Abusos Urbanisticos Almanzora No, the protest group acting against the demolition of property in the area, reports that Helen and Len have found a suitable property, and are waiting for the council to agree.