The Mayor of Mojácar, Rosa Maria Caño (PP), has been fined for refusing to carry out her duties and order the partial demolition of the illegal extension of a house owned by a friend of hers, a prominent PSOE politician from Garrucha called Nicolas Piñero.
The house in question is across the rambla before you get to the Parque Comercial, coming down the hill, and is marked by a large billboard reading “Obras Illegal”.
The dispute comes from 2004 when the owner of the house illegally extended the home without proper planning permission. Neighbours objected, and in 2008 the Supreme Court ruled that the extension must be pulled down.
However, the townhall has never implemented the ruling, and neighbours, backed by Jessica Simpson of the “Somos Mojácar” coalition, filed an administrative complaint.
This has resulted in an order from Administrative Court Nº2 in Almería, published in today’s Ideal newspaper and reproduced here, that considers that Mayor Rosa Maria is in contempt of her duties, and will be fined €150 ever 20 days until she orders the demolition of the building works.
The neighbour who originated the first complaint says that the house has been massively expanded, and despite the demolition order “has been carrying on expanding his property safe in the knowledge that nobody in the townhall will ever send in the bulldozers”. Since 2008 he has expanded his property twice more and added an “pharaonic” swimming pool. The neighbour also accused ex-Mayors Salvador Esparza and Gabriel Flores of having “covered Nicolas’s back”, saying Nicolas felt he was “a law unto himself in this town, backed by his powerful cronies in the townhall”.
Jessica Simpson of “Somos Mojacar” who had backed the original complaint as an independent councillor in the townhall, said that this was another example of the neglect, traffic of influences and “friendship amongst cronies” that is endemic in the Mojacar townhall. “Another bad decision by the Mayor, and another example of letting things slide” she told Ideal. “I cannot understand why she flouts the law, expects to get away with it and then is surprised that she looks ridiculous when the Law catches up with her. She moves in a circle of personal friends, “scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours”, and considers that these sorts of illegalities and flouting of her responsibilities are perfectly normal. We (Somos Mojacar) consider her actions shameful and actionable”.
The Law has now spoken – Mayor Rosa Maria has evaded her responsibilities and must face up to her duties, or face the legal consequences.