Deposit accounts and judicial shipments in Alicante reveal about 147 million euros blocked due to a strike by Justice Administration (LAJ) lawyers, according to sources from the strike committee. This untended money, along with fines, compensations, bonds, embargoes and pensions, undermines citizens, businesses and the state itself.
LAJ lawyers ended a two-week strike this Tuesday after the Justice Department did not concede to the government’s demands for salary and worker improvements.
Image provided by LAJ shows their apron hanging inside the Alicante Palace of Justice.
According to strike committee data, nationwide follow-up across the province reached 78 percent yesterday. A total of 113 legal professionals participated, with the Alicante forensic area showing 84 percent participation. Benidorm reached 100 percent, Elche 86 percent, Orihuela 81 percent, Torrevieja 88 percent, Dénia 60 percent, San Vicente del Raspeig 66 percent, Novelda 66 percent, Alcoy 50 percent, Elda 25 percent, Ibi 100 percent, La Vila Joiosa 25 percent and Villena 25 percent.
Strike committee figures indicate that about 60.8 million of the roughly 147 million euros frozen in provincial court consignments relate to the Alicante party court, with 35.6 million allocated to Elche courts, 16.8 million to Benidorm, 11.2 million to Orihuela, and 8 million to Dénia.
Next to this blocked money, family courts faced delays in pensions payments as the Ministry of Justice and the strike produced suspensions of more than 2,000 cases in Alicante during the first two weeks. Only certain types of proceedings, such as prisoner litigation and gender-based violence cases, continued, as did hearings where the LAJ did not support the strike.
LAJ’s concentration at the Alicante Palace of Justice was visible again as a representative yesterday stood at the courthouse door. They displayed a banner about the strike and the agreements the Government was urged to honor, and they hung their robes inside and outside the buildings to highlight the situation. Despite unemployment consequences on payrolls, lawyers and forensic professionals kept pressure on the Government and criticized the lack of a formal invitation to the strike committee to date in seeking a resolution.
The Three Justice Administration Lawyers Association, which maintains the indefinite strike, stated that at least four months would be needed to recover the delays caused by the initial two weeks of work stoppage, with activity in courts reduced by more than 60 percent while minimum services continued with full responsibility.
fines
The strike coalition put 12 million euros in fines on hold, withholding contributions to the public treasury across the country as sentences were carried out.
Additionally, there was criticism directed at Justice Minister Pilar Llop. The minister, in comments on a television program, was accused of misrepresenting the recording of criminal investigations and of evading full accountability for the administration’s handling of reforms that touch on sensitive matters such as sexual freedom. The strike participants argued that the minister had not taken necessary steps to convene the strike committee to seek a rapid solution to the dispute.
Overall, the strike underscores tensions between the administration and the judiciary across multiple provinces, highlighting how legal delays and financial blockage affect public services and the daily lives of citizens while negotiations continue to unfold. The affected communities await a concrete plan to restore normal operations and ensure timely access to justice for individuals and businesses alike. [Source: LAJ strike committee attribution]