Andorra Culture Minister Defends Church Protection Zone Amid Landowner Fury

Culture Minister Mònica Bonell has defended the protection zone around Sant Joan de Caselles church in Canillo, rejecting claims of expropriation and calling for dialogue with affected landowners.

Addressing criticism from Andorra Endavant councillor Carine Montaner, who described the usage restrictions as "outrageous" on social media and said owners would receive no compensation, Bonell acknowledged that property owners have "every right to be angry" if they oppose the measures. She accused Montaner of "demagoguery and populism" for siding with upset landowners.

The minister stressed that the government is enforcing the cultural heritage law, approved in 2003 and amended in 2013, rather than pursuing expropriation. "We are not applying an expropriation here; we are applying the cultural heritage law," Bonell told the news agency. She noted that expropriations involve a distinct legal process with compensation, while protection zones follow patrimonial rules that clearly specify applicable assets and procedures.

Owners dissatisfied with the zone can submit allegations and appeals, Bonell said, adding that the government will respect any judicial ruling. For this case, officials worked with Canillo commune technicians and consellers during updates to the parish urban plan, which incorporated the zone upon publication. Some areas within it were already restricted due to risk zones where construction was previously banned.

Bonell highlighted ongoing efforts to engage property owners throughout the process, though she noted that circumstances vary by case and advance dialogue is not always feasible.

The government is preparing changes to the cultural heritage law to update protections, including a review of the annex listing assets requiring zones, in consultation with communes. "We believe it can be done differently, with other tools to protect assets," she said, pointing to the Madriu Valley—already otherwise safeguarded—as an example where such zones may not be necessary.