Victory for Marta in Spanish home scandal

Victory for Marta in Spanish home scandal

Monday, 12th July 2010

The Spanish Goverment has decided to reform a controversial law that has seen the demolition of homes owned by UK expatriates, after a concerted campaign led by UKIP's Marta Andreasen.

Just last week, in a speech in Strasbourg, Ms Andreasen told Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Zapatero that British residents in his country were suffering similarly to the expatriates living under the tyrannical regime of Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe.

A fuming Zapatero called her speech "an offence to the Spanish people" but on his return home, performed an about face on the Coastal Law, which has led to the demolition of so many houses.

Ms Andreasen said: "The critical moment came when I passed on to him the concern of Gordon Westerdale who was afraid of becoming victim of a situation similar to that suffered by British in Zimbabwe under Mugabe´s regime.

"I went on to tell him that what was happening in Spain was a breach of human rights and that the European Union could not possibly run to the rescue – financially – of a country where such a breach was taking place.

"Then I had the great news on Friday that the Spanish parliament had decided to take the Coastal Law – one of the causes behind the demolition threats – for debate with a view to reforming it drastically.

"So, my words finally produced an effect and I look to this as a great success!"

You can watch Marta berating Zapatero in the European Parliament here.

You can read Marta's blog here.