MEPS VISIT PARCENT

'Veïns de Parcent' gave a warm welcome to the

delegation from the Petitions Committee of the

European Parliament. The group led by

President Marcin Libicki, joined by Vice President

Michael Cashman and David Lowe, head of

Secretariat, arrived in Parcent on the afternoon

of thursday 1st March. They were accompanied

by David Hammerstein MEP who travelled

as an observer, various assistents and interpreters.

They were met by a group from 'Veïns de Parcent',

carrying large photomontages of the effects the

building of the PAIs will have on the mountainside.

After showing the MEPS the area to be built on and

demonstrating the beauty of the landscape, the

delegation walked into the village where they

were met by a large crowd wearing 'soc de poble'

tshirts and a spontaneous applause.

After walking up through the village adorned with

'Salvem Parcent' banners, the delegation held a

meeting with 'Veïns de Parcent' where after a

short speech the floor was given to members of

the public to speak. We heard a number of very

moving comments from people who will be

affected by the PAIs, all of whom feared for their

loss of identity, in addtion to the loss of their

lands and their environment. Michael Cashman

summed up the position of the MEPS assuring the

crowd, which numbered 160, that the Petitions

Committee had taken their comments very seriously

and promised to investigate and do all they can

for the people.

The delegation then had a meeting with the Town

Council, which also included representatives of

the builders involved in each of the three PAI.

After presentations which the press remarked left

the Town Hall looking like an estate agents, Michael

Cashman directed a question at the Mayoress, asking

how many houses were to be built and what would

be the increase in population. According to press

reports the Mayoress appeared flustered and left

it to a representative of the construction company to

reply for her, stating that the 1500 houses of PAI

'El Repla' represented a population increase of

4,500. Michael Cashman's comment was that this

appeared unsustainable for a present population of

just 1000.

As the delegation left the Town Hall they were

met with a display of umbrellas from the waiting

crowd, a symoblic gesture recalling the fateful

night when we were left outside in the torrential

rain whilst the Town Hall voted for the PAIs.

The visit has been covered by national and Catalan

television, with reports from Parcent going out

three nights running. We have also had widespread

press coverage in Spanish and local English press.

'Veïns de Parcent' would like to thank the delegation

from the Petitions Committee for their visit to

Parcent. We have been encouraged and heartened

by their visit and hope that the investigation and

subsequent report into our petition will help to

bring about the scrapping of the PAIs and the

draft general plan that includes them, allowing

Parcent to start again to plan for a future that

allows the village to grow whilst retaining it's

emblamatic and beautiful mountainsides.

We would also like to thank our friend and

neighbour for so kindly letting us use her house

for the meeting and for those who donated cakes

and refreshments .