KICK THE BALL BUT PLEASE DON’T CHOP DOWN THE TREES!

The massive felling of trees constitutes a very serious infringement of the Law 8/2005 for the Protection
and Promotion of Urban Trees and entails a fine of hundreds of thousands of euros.

by Chris Collins

The municipality of Alcobendas in the northern part of Madrid slapped Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos with a fine of €250,000. The crime? Chopping down 60 to 90 trees, many of which were centenary.

Ramos

The scene of the crime: a property he owns, through the Aguileña de Inversiones S.A., in the luxurious La Moraleja area in Alcobendas.

Apart from the hefty fine, the municipal government is ordering Ramos to replace the trees.

Pilar Rubio, Ramos’ recent bride, guesting at a popular TV show

The massive felling of the trees constituted a “very serious infringement” (infracción muy grave) of Law 8/2005 for the Protection and Promotion of Urban Trees.

A quarter of a million euros won’t impoverish the football star, reported to earn an annual salary of €25 million and whose net worth is said to be €80 million. But until he replaces them, Madrid is dozens of trees poorer.

Lately, Ramos is very much in the news. Last 15 June, he tied the knot with his long-time girlfriend, the spectacular TV presenter Pilar Rubio, mother of his three children. Some sources reckon he spent a cool €3 million for the extravagant wedding. Never mind his extended transcontinental honeymoon!

Aguileña de Inversiones is expected to appeal the fine.

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Images
Featured imaged (fallen tree)/Stuart Gordon, CC BY-ND2.0
Ramos/Jan SOLO, CC BY-SA2.0, cropped
Pilar Rubio/El Hormiguero, CC BY-ND2.0 via Flickr