Galicia court orders Vigo council to pay port €4,583,632.93

The Galicia High Court has ordered Vigo’s council to pay the Port Authority €4,583,632.93, plus legal interest. Its Second Section heard the appeal and ruled for the port authority.

The award covers damage and losses tied to the council’s failure to maintain areas under the 1992 Abrir Vigo al Mar agreement. The order requires payment, but the official release does not confirm that any money has changed hands.

What the agreement required

The deal was signed in 1992 by the city council, the Free Trade Zone Consortium and the port’s former works board. That board is now the Port Authority of Vigo. The deal required the council to keep the affected areas in good repair.

After the agreement ended, the Port Authority repaired the areas and restored them to their former state. The work included rebuilding an area that collapsed during the O Marisquiño event in August 2018. The settlement left out upgrades beyond the council’s duty, such as a cycle lane.

Final rulings by the same court in 2022 found that ending the deal over the council’s breach was lawful. They also required an administrative settlement to set the sums owed. This judgment rules on the amount set through that process.

Why the court ordered payment

The council challenged the process used to set the settlement. The court rejected its objections. It said the port authority let the council be heard, defend its case and respond.

The judges found that the work repaired damage caused by poor upkeep. They also said the council gave no other valuation to challenge the amount. The court ordered €4,583,632.93 in compensation, plus legal interest.

The judgment is not final. The council may seek an appeal on points of law before Spain’s Supreme Court, the Tribunal Supremo. The release gives no later appeal decision or payment update.

Source: Spain’s General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ).