Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2015/02/01

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Subject: [Leica] Nathan's PAD 31/1/2015: the human face of the crisis
From: photo at frozenlight.eu (Nathan Wajsman)
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2015 09:26:37 +0100

Sonia and Paco are a young couple with two small daughters. Some years ago, 
when both had jobs, they bought a home, worked, and made their mortgage 
payments without any problems for 5 years. Then the crisis hit, Spain?s 
unemployment rate soared to 25%, and both of them lost their jobs. After 
some months, they were unable to make the mortgage payments and the bank 
foreclosed on them. But because of the fall in property prices, their debt 
exceeded the value of the house, and so the bank is trying to collect the 
remaining debt of 35,000 EUR by garnishing part of Sonia?s parents? 
pension?they had co-guaranteed the loan when the mortgage was taken out. The 
couple and their daughters now live with Sonia?s parents, but with the 
bank?s demands the entire family is on the verge of falling into extreme 
poverty. Supported by a local NGO that campaigns against the banks? 
predatory practices, they have set up a camp outside the BBVA branch next to 
the Mercado Central. I went there yesterday to have a look and a chat and to 
document it. They have now been there for 28 days. Their demand is that the 
bank stop garnishing Sonia?s parents? pension.

Two snaps. First, the overall view of the encampment:
<http://www.greatpix.eu/All/Picture-A-Day/4253606_kdsZ6C#!i=3853988458&k=3zcKkQz&lb=1&s=O>

People signing the petition in support of Sonia and Paco and in general 
demanding that the law be changed so that the debt is extinguished once the 
house is taken by the bank:
<http://www.greatpix.eu/All/Picture-A-Day/4253606_kdsZ6C#!i=3853988612&k=GJs77dK&lb=1&s=O>

And yes, I signed also. I am no populist but the banks ARE greedy bastards. 
Just this week, 78 executives of another bank have been charged with 
fraud?they had been given ?black credit cards? by the bank which they could 
use freely, and of course this little fringe benefit was never declared to 
the tax authorities.

Cheers,
Nathan

Nathan Wajsman
Alicante, Spain
http://www.frozenlight.eu <http://www.frozenlight.eu/>
http:// <http://www.greatpix.eu/>www.greatpix.eu
PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws 
<http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws>Blog: http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/ 
<http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/>
Cycling: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/belgiangator 
<http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/belgiangator>
YNWA















Replies: Reply from bjq1 at mac.com (Bernard Quinn) ([Leica] Nathan's PAD 31/1/2015: the human face of the crisis)
Reply from imra at iol.ie (Douglas Barry) ([Leica] Nathan's PAD 31/1/2015: the human face of the crisis)
Reply from jayanand at gmail.com (Jayanand Govindaraj) ([Leica] Nathan's PAD 31/1/2015: the human face of the crisis)