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SOUTH EDITION roundtownnews.com Oil poured on energy woes
Issue 711
31 MAY - 6 JUNE 2013
33,000 pending court cases
New energy legislation comes into force tomorrow (Saturday 1st June) – a deadline imposed just months after the European Union sponsored laws were enacted p4
No Smoking week
From Monday the Torrevieja health department has prepared a week of activities related to the prevention of smoking p5
IT MAY come as no surprise for many RTN readers to know that both Orihuela and Torrevieja’s courts have a long backlog of cases to deal with. That backlog amounts to around 33,000 cases that are awaiting an outcome.
Is it time to move your pension? Transferring a pension is complex so obtaining expert advice is essential as the expert can help you fully understand your options and help you avoid the pitfalls p33
by Keith Nicol
Divas give girl power to AFA Restaurante Los Rosales in Guardamar is hosting a star studded evening starring three of the finest female vocalists on the Costa Blanca p59
Josefina
First corner Josefina reaches 107 crash doesn’t Torrevejense JOSEFINA BLANCO, the oldest person in Torrevieja and possibly one of the keep Anthony oldest of Spain, turned 107 years old this week. Each day Josefina is visited by four generations of her family including her daughter, granddaughter, great Ford-Dunn grandchildren and great great grandchildren, who enjoy their daily time together. down p71 Read the full story on page 11.
SO IT will probably also come as no surprise that some local residents and the likes of CPC Holdings, have reverted to the British courts, when it comes to trying to find swifter justice. It has long been mooted that any case of significant consequence can take a couple of years to be heard in the first instance, followed by up to four more years awaiting an outcome, and even then, it may go to appeal. According to Nikki Crozier from CPC Holdings, many multinationals and large property companies have successfully used this delaying and appeal tactic in the hope that by the time a case comes to court, the statutes of limitations will have passed, or the individual will have run out of money, time, health or inclination to see
a case to its conclusion. The bad news is that neither the Supreme Judicial Council (GCJ) or the High Court of Justice (TSJ) have a plan to tackle the jam that continues to grow in the courts of Torrevieja and Orihuela. Add to the lack of a plan, a lack of resources; as there does not seem to be a solution in sight because the Department of Justice does not have availability or budget to appoint officials to help remove the backlog, which amounts to more than 33,000 civil and criminal cases. Of these cases, in Orihuela there are 12,500 pending criminal cases being handled by three courts while Civil cases account for 9,337 matters pending resolution. Meanwhile in Torrevieja, the delays are mainly civil, with 7,000 procedures still to be tended to by their three judges. Continued on page 6