COURT FILES LOS MERINOS CASE AGAINST RONDA’S MAYOR
By David Eade – Costa del Sol News
After the Málaga prosecutor recently announced it had no case to put against the mayor of Ronda over the case on the proposed Los Merinos golf course development the court has now followed up by filing the proceedings.
The court ruled that Antonio Marín had not obstructed justice by approving the project by his own decree to build a luxury golf, residential and tourism complex at Los Merinos. The prosecutor had stated that it believed the mayor had acted unethically but could not find grounds for a legal case.
The case was brought by Izquierda Unida in 2007 when it complained to the Málaga prosecutor that the mayor had committed an offence against the town planning laws, the natural resources of the area and the environment.
The mayor had given the go-ahead for the two golf courses, 800 luxury homes and three hotels even thought the Andalucía water authority had produced a report stating the site did not have its own water resources to sustain such a development.
The water issued has seen widespread protests by environmentalists and residents of Cuevas del Becerro the nearest village to Los Merinos which is many kilometres from the centre of Ronda. Residents and farmers fear the development will drain the water aquifers on which they have depended for generations.
After the court announced its decision the spokesperson and candidate for mayor for the IU in Ronda, Rafael Ruíz, announced they would appeal against. Ruíz labelled it a bad decision and intends to call the former provincial delegate for the environment, Ignacio Trillo to give evidence.
Los Merinos covers around 1,000 hectares near the boundary of Ronda with Cuevas del Becerro. Although the developers have maintained the scheduled payments to Ronda town hall demanded by the planning accord work has been halted since 2008 because of the economic crisis in the construction sector.
APPEAL AGAINST THE GO-AHEAD IN THE TAJO STABLES CASE
The decision by Ronda’s court to proceed to the pre-trial stage in the ‘Caballerizas” case has been appealed by the lawyers acting for the ten councillors from a former administration implicated in the investigation.
The case revolves around the illegal construction of a house and a stables complex in the Hoya del Tajo area of Ronda – a zone that enjoys strict environmental protection.
In the dock are the promoter plus the ten councillors from PSOE, PP and GIL. They are accused of breaking the town planning laws and also offences against the administration of justice.
In 2005 the councillors were all members of municipal commission of works that approved the construction despite the lands protected status. However they insist all they agreed to was the refurbishment of a building that already existed on the site.
The judge has called on the Málaga prosecutor and the individuals presenting the case to formally request the opening of oral hearings or the case would be shelved.
The majority of the councillors implicated in the case have now quit public life. Three are still on the council and the socialist Isabel María Aguilera has since become director general of the regional government’s rural sustainable development authority.
SUSPECTED SUICIDE
A 45-year-old man disappeared last Wednesday in Montecorto after having drinks with a friend then going to move earth near the village square. On the way back from another property in search of a more powerful machine his tractor slid into a ditch but despite a widespread search there was no sign of him. On Saturday his body was found near his home and police suspect suicide.
NO PROJECT
The controversial toll motorway between Ronda and San Pedro officially doesn’t exist. Proposed by PSOE before the last elections it was due to be completed next year but work never started. PSOE in Ronda have been featuring it on their election material but when IU asked the Andalucía ministry of works for details of this phantom motorway the answer was it doesn’t exist.
NEW PARISH
Ronda is to have a new parish in fast growing San Rafael district. The Bishop of Málaga has allocated two million euros for the church and is due to lay the first brick shortly. The faithful in the zone have had to worship in San Cristóbal. The new church will be built on land donated by the municipality and will accommodate 500 people.
POPULAR MAYOR
Benalauría’s Eugenio Márquez is a much sought after politician. He sits as mayor as an independent but both the centre right PP and centre left PSOE wanted him to head their lists at the municipal elections. However he has rejected their advances and will stand again for the independent Agrupación de Electores de Benalauría which last time received 13 votes more than PSOE.
BLIND TOURISM
The tourist office in Montejaque in the Serranía de Ronda has presented a special tourism plan of the municipality designed for people with impaired sight. Montejaque is only the second municipality in Europe to make specific provisions for visitors who are partially sighted or blind. Montejaque is a key walking centre and a special route has been created for those with eyesight problems.
FOOD FAIR
Ronda Abierta wants to help integrate foreign residents living in the municipality with the local population. On April 15, 16 and 17 it’s organising at the Casino the first Feria Gastronómica Internacional where food from various countries will be on display and can be sampled. Currently there are 22 participants in what is billed as an international celebration of the arrival of spring.
