Valencia

:This article is about the city in Spain. For other uses of the name, see Valencia (disambiguation).

Economy

Valencia has enjoyed strong economic growth over the last decade, much of it spurred by tourism and construction. However, this model of development has led to a great deal of building on rural land. Furthermore, the Valencia government's implementation of the LRAU has been extremely controversial since it involves the expropriation of the homes of both Spanish nationals and foreign residents without compensation. The matter was the subject of a scathing documentary, broadcast by Spain's second national channel (TVE2) in 2005.

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Critics argue that this legislation (which was theoretically designed to protect rural land) is being misused for large urban and industrial developments. The European Union's Committee of Petitions reported on the issue in 2004, finding that the Valencian government was breaching basic European rights. The ambassadors of EU Member States have protested to the Spanish authorities on behalf of their citizens and the issue has been referred to the European Court of Human Rights. Wide media coverage of the case abroad threatens the local "residential tourism" industry.

Related Topics:
European Union - European Court of Human Rights

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