The glitterati are dotted all over Marbella, meaning you never quite know who you are going to bump into, all of whom are just as vulnerable to legal digressions as anyone else. And while a €10,000 fine might break the back of most, it is water off a duck’s back to others.
Perhaps that is the case of Serbian tennis superstar Novak Djokovic, who is said to be worth some $240 million and who owns homes in Belgrade, Monte Carlo, Miami, New York City, and, of course, Marbella. So, why did Marbella council just slap a €10,000 fine on him?
Novak Djokovic, who recently announced his return to the Mutua Madrid Open after missing the last three editions due to injury, has found himself in the headlines for very different reasons. Marbella Council has slapped the world-renowned athlete with a fine for carrying out unlicensed renovations on his luxurious mansion in Marbs, valued at over €10 million.
Djokovic’s Sierra Blanca mansion wins him €10,000 fine
The property, situated in the Sierra Blanca urbanisation, has been at the centre of a legal dispute after it was discovered that Djokovic had had the builders in without the necessary permits. According to the Andalusian Land Law (LISTA), the council opened a case against him, imposing an initial fine of €5,000. The penalty comes after Djokovic failed to legalise the renovations within a two-month deadline established in law. The council has now given him an extra two months to put right part of the work already done and restore the property to its legal self in line with urban planning regulations for the remaining unauthorised sections.
Parts of the remodelling, some already finished and others still planned, go against local laws concerning height, the number of floors, and minimum boundary distances. Djokovic would need to demolish certain completed parts, including a basement parking area and a porch. They have warned that failure to address these issues could lead to further action, including up to twelve successive fines, aimed at restoring the legal form and reversing unauthorised alterations.
It is not the first time Djokovic has come under scrutiny for his architectural aspirations. This is the second €5,000 fine he has received for the same offence. While the tennis star is preparing for his competitive comeback, this off-court squabble adds to the distractions and puts him in the spotlight for the wrong reasons.
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