The planned eviction in Salobreña yesterday morning was aborted but not cancelled; i.e., it has merely been postponed three months.
There were over 50 people on Calle Fuente C in front of the building when I arrived at 09.00h. We were later joined by around a dozen Guardia Civil officers, some of whom were armed with riot battons, which, thankfully, were never used because the morning passed without incident.
In fact, the police officers involved played a very low-key presence with most of them remaining at the entrance of the street some 20 metres from the gathering in front of the block.
A TV crew from the popular Canal Sur programme, Andalucía en Directo was present, who used a mike on an telescopic boom to interview one of the affected residents on her balcony, Marí Carmen.
A representative from the Judicial Authorities arrived about 10.15h and consulted with both the Guardia Civil officer in charge, as well as with the lawyer who represents the affected families.
The first indication that there would be no eviction that morning was a cautious thumbs up from Marí Carmen from her balcony.
As for the bank, Cajamar and the inmobiliaria involved G.I., we are in the process of obtaining press statements from both parties. In the case of Cajamar, the press office is situated in Almería so the local bank manager is not in a position to make a statement and Almería has not released any press statement.
The head of the Stop Dehaucios in Salobreña, Carmen Guerrero, showed me a copy of the Diligencia de Comparencia (Arraignment) that has been registered in a law court announcing the intention to sue both the real-estate agent, G.I. and the building developer that built the block of flats, A.G.S.
Update: I have since spoken to M.S. fromt he real-estate agent/development company. He pointed out that the people that are facing eviction were given limited rental contracts under the understanding that when the case between the bank and the developer came up; i.e., when they became the exclusively property of the bank, they would have to move out.
He also pointed out one of the tenants who claimed she religiously paid her own rent, in reality had her rent paid for her by the municipal, social-services department.
Editorial note: we mention the bank by its full name but the other two companies by inititals only because the former is not accused of anything, whereas the other two could be if the families go ahead with their stated intention in the arraignment document.
(News: Salobreña, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)