Legal Troubles Arise from Extended Stay in Morocco
A Spanish court has recently made a significant ruling affecting a woman who spent over 680 days in Morocco between 2018 and 2021, leading to the cancellation of her non-contributory disability pension. In addition to losing her pension benefits, she has been ordered to repay €32,857 in previously received payments. This decision has been widely reported across various Spanish media outlets.
Since 2013, the woman had been receiving a monthly disability pension of €604.20, supplemented by an additional €36 to €37. Moreover, she was also receiving a monthly pension of €96.68 from Moroccan authorities. However, Spanish authorities discovered that she had exceeded the legal limit of 90 days spent abroad each year without prior authorization, which ultimately led to the suspension of her pension.
Attempted Justification and Court's Response
In her defense, the woman attempted to attribute her prolonged absences to travel restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Supreme Court of Justice of Catalonia dismissed this argument, asserting that her financial circumstances indicated otherwise. Reports showed her household income reached €73,291.08 in 2021, which far exceeded the income threshold necessary to qualify for the disability assistance. Consequently, her pension was retroactively annulled from June 2018, compelling her to repay the amounts received since that date.
As reported by yabiladi.com.
