Jan's Update

EU Constitution defends land grab victims
NEWS Staff ReporterCampaigners against the controversial LRAU land law that affects non developed land in the Valencia Region have found a new battle horse in the EU constitution favoured by voters in Spain on Sunday. Abusos Urbanísticos No (AUN) has reminded regional authorities that under the new constitution, property rights are not just ‘basic’ as claimed in the Spanish Constitution, but now become ‘fundamental’ within the EU Magna Carta.A spokesman for AUN points out that the wording of Article II.77 of the EU treaty could not be more explicit as it states that legally acquired property cannot be expropriated nor can owners be forced to cede property without definable and justified reasons of ‘public benefit’. The article highlights the fact that in any case compensation must be at market value.Charles Svoboda, president of AUN, says: “There is no way that the LRAU, and its replacement, the LUV, can be considered to be compatible with the rights to be confirmed in the Constitutional Treaty.”