Blaming the messenger

by Jacqui Cotterill, president of "Veïns de Parcent."

The recent scathing report issued by the Petitions Committee of the European Parliament into land abuse scandals in Spain has caused a flood of comment in both Spanish and English press. The report was the result of the visit of the President of the Petitions Committee, Polish MEP Marcin Libicki and Vice President Michael Cashman, British Labour MEP. The fact finding delegation spent two days in the Comunitat Valenciana during which they visited Parcent to investigate our petition to the European Parliament which claims that the plans to build 1,800 houses in Parcent contravene EU law.

Members of "Veïns de Parcent" held a meeting where village people and European residents addressed the MEPs. The subsequent television coverage showed many of us moved to tears by the testimonies of Parcent people. My neighbour spoke, at first haltingly, her voice shaking with emotion. She described how her family had fought for their land, survived hardship, suffered hunger but held on to the land, and how it meant more to her than any amount of money offered by the builders. She questioned why she should be forced to sell. British resident Mark Harrison told of the emotional and financial stress suffered by members of his Residents Association, threatened with losing their land and paying huge infrastructure costs if the urbanisation plans go ahead. All spoke from their hearts. So it has been infuriating to read the response of the Valencian government in the local papers. Their position from the outset has been to discredit the delegation, cast spurious and unproven doubts on the integrity of its members and rubbish the report's findings. Instead of listening to people's undoubted grievances they denied the existence of the thousands of petitions into urban planning abuses received by the Petitions Committee.

Instead of addressing the serious and legitimate concerns of the delegation they insulted them and attempted to ridicule official representatives of the European Parliament. Instead of accepting the consequences of peoples rightful concerns into the security of their properties under Valencian land laws, they blamed the EU report for falling house sales. Instead of understanding that their unjust laws are themselves damaging the reputation of Valencia and putting people off buying houses here, they blame the Petitions Committee for publicising citizen's complaints. A sad but clear case of blaming the messenger whilst ignoring the message.