'Ciudadanos Europeos' awards its 'Golden Ensign' to Charles and Lisa Svoboda ( Abusos Urbanisticos NO)

The Spanish national association “Ciudadanos Europeos”, founded in 1993 to promote the interests of European citizens in Spain, will award its “Golden Ensign”  to Lisa and Charles Svoboda, for their successes in defending the rights of  small property owners and the environment against development abuse. The awards will be presented at a lunch-time ceremony in Altea.

The "Golden Ensign" has previously been awarded only three times: to the rector of the Complutense University in Madrid, as well as the dean of its law faculty, for their championship of the vote for European residents in local elections; to the mayor of Madrid as the municipality with the greatest number of foreigners; and to Eduardo Zaplana in his period as National  Minister of Employment and Social Affairs, for his support  to non-Spanish Europeans with residences in this country. 

The BLOC, a Valencian opposition party, will also present Abusos Urbanisticos NO (AUN) with its "Bloc d'Or" award on April 25  in recognition of its work to preserve the rights of Valencianos and to protect the environment. 

Charles Svoboda, President and founder of  "Abusos Urbanisticos NO" in 2002, has become well known all over Europe for his tireless efforts in fighting against the abuses perpetrated under the LRAU, the notorious land law of the Valencia region. It has now been replaced by the LUV, after strong public outcry and pressure from the European Parliament.  However, because the new LUV would continue the problems, that law is also under challenge both by  Brussels (the European Commission) and the Madrid Government, largely due the efforts of AUN.  Lisa has been  a leader in her own right as well as a constant inspiration and indispensable ally in the struggle. 

The awards ceremony will take place at 13:00 in the Restaurant of the Centro Social in Altea (Calle Marina Baixa, 2) on April 28 followed by a buffet lunch.  The cost is €15, payable at the entrance. Please call to reserve. Details follow below.

The centre is located behind the Town Hall (ayuntamiento) on the other side of the railroad tracks. There is a footbridge that crosses over the tracks on the south side of the ayuntamiento. Underground parking is available 50 meters past the entrance to the Centro Social. There is also underground parking beneath the Town Hall. 

For reservations and directions, please contact Liliana Malant of "Ciudadanos Europeos" no later than April 25. She can be reached by telephone and fax at 96 688 0798 between 09:00 and 14:00, or by email at Info@c-euro.org .  Jan Richards, AUN´s mailmaster, has also kindly agreed to take reservations for this event. She can be reached at 600 837 054 or by email at mailmaster@abusos-no.org.

For a map of Altea, marked with the location of the Social Centre, please click on or copy the following address:

http://callejero.paginasamarillas.es/flash/mapa.asp?ciudad=ALTEA&x=1389&y=1302&l1=03590,%20ALTEA&l2=Calle%20Marina%20Baixa%20La,%202&t_act=&radio=1000&Ops=Vacio&idCalle=94&idioma=spa&site=callejero