For seven years (1998-2015), the Catholic Church had the opportunity to register properties in its name. This process, only in force during those years and authorized by the Popular Party, gave the dioceses the power to certify the ownership of unregistered properties and register them in their name, becoming their property. During this period, 34,961 properties were registered throughout Spain, the majority (30,335) using this system of ecclesiastical certification. In the Canary Islands, a total of 532 were registered and in Lanzarote 38. Among them, the church of San Ginés, Santuario de Dolores, hermitages, cemeteries, squares... A part, the church, self-certified and kept the property.
Citizens considered that the churches, hermitages or cemeteries belonged to everyone, even if the Catholic Church administered them. Hence, it was seen favorably that they were exempt from paying IBI or that the institutions collaborated in their maintenance. Now, what we considered to belong to everyone, the church has turned into a private asset, exclusively its property. Therefore, it makes no sense for them not to pay IBI or for the maintenance tasks to be carried out by everyone. We will also have to think twice about whether to tick the church box in the next income tax return.
A separate comment is deserved by the actions of the Popular Party, as it was this political force that promoted this registration process, enacting a law that facilitated it (Royal Decree 1867/1998 of September 4, which reformed the Mortgage Law of 1946). Possibly it did so to mainly affect places of worship, but land, houses, premises, parking spaces, a fronton, cars... were also registered... all an abuse. This process was very opaque, as the PP opposed the preparation of a catalog with the registered properties, which has taken us five years to know.The question is clear: How to reverse this situation? Via the courts of justice, but with the current regulations, it is very difficult to reverse the registration of any property. Currently there is a favorable case: in Artá (Mallorca) the bishopric registered the historical walls of the town, a fact that the supreme court is now questioning.
The issue involves a forceful political action. Faced with abusive registrations, a progressive government like the current one must carry out a process of administrative disentailment (the last ones carried out by Mendizábal and Madoz in the 19th century), annulling all registrations or at least those carried out using the ecclesiastical certification system, which are almost 90%. The government of Spain cannot allow this looting of our common heritage, if private property is protected, even more so should be what belongs to everyone. This political action must take place without delay and be conclusive.
Quoting Don Quixote we would say ¡We have met with the clergy! I add... and I hope that with brave men and women, who will be able to undo this wrong.
Eduardo Núñez González.