The Salvem Barcelona association, which filed a complaint for urban crime against the municipal managers of the Eixample superblock project – a complaint that was recently filed by the Prosecutor’s Office -, has addressed a letter to the president of the Parliament’s Budgetary Control commission European so that the community institutions “suspend the delivery of funds” to said municipal project.
On February 24, Barcelona City Council reported the granting of 74.89 million euros from Next Generation funds to finance the superblock, the low emission zone and the digital and sustainable transformation of urban transport. Specifically, the Eixample green axes project was awarded 25.9 million euros.
Salvem Barcelona has written to Monika Hohlmeier, president of the European Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control, to warn her that the contributions from the European Union “are destroying the emblematic Eixample, the true nerve center of the city.”
In the letter signed by the president and the secretary of the association, Jacint Soler Padró and Nina Khalatyan, respectively, it is stated that the budget for the project promoted by the Barcelona City Council was carried out “violating the main precepts of the General Metropolitan Plan (PGM) without the revision of the same, and those related to the planning of the territory provided for in article 320 of the Penal Code”.
We are, therefore – adds Salvem Barcelona – before clearly illegal actions carried out under the pretext of the environmental nature of the work, when in reality the project and its execution will continue to maintain the same degree of contamination in the area, affecting instead very serious to access and mobility throughout Barcelona and its metropolitan area”
Based on this argument, rejected by the Prosecutor’s Office, the association promoting this action before the European Parliament concludes that “the money of all Europeans is being squandered on absolutely unnecessary works that are going to cause enormous damage to the city of Barcelona and It will be difficult to reverse in the future.
Salvem Barcelona recalls that it reported these events to “the competent Spanish authorities, without any reaction to our complaint.” “However, -he concludes- we will proceed to send a copy of this letter to the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office
