Spanish Government freezes Gaddafi's assets on the Costa del Sol
By h.b.
The Gaddafi Government has a large development plot in Benahavis
Muamar al Gaddafi - Photo EFE
The Spanish Government has frozen all the assets which the Gaddafi regime has in Spain, as part of the application of an EU regulation.
The EU is working to a list drawn up by the United Nations, in which individual names, companies, and associations of the Gaddafi regime known to have been used for the disposal of assets are itemised.
In addition all Spanish diplomatic personnel are being withdrawn from Libya. A statement said that the embassy is to be ‘semi-closed', with only local people remaining at their posts to carry out administrative duties. The move does not signify however any breaking of diplomatic relations and is in line with other EU countries.
Among the assets frozen is the 6,000 hectares of land which Muamar al Gaddafi has in Benahavis on the Costa del Sol, and where there were plans to build nearly 2,000 homes, a golf course and congress hall.
The Spanish Ministry for Tax and the Economy is to investigate also whether there are any bank accounts from members of the Libyan regime in Spain.
It comes as the Spanish Prime Minister is continuing his tour of the Gulf and North African countries. Today, Wednesday, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is in Tunisia, expressing ‘a gesture of support for the moves to democracy in the country.