The works recovered during the operation CRETE, stolen in his return to Spain in the late nineties after having served in various international exhibitions, follow their particular adventure. The Annunciation (1570, 107x97cm.) by El Greco and the Appearance of the Virgen del Pilar (c. 1775-1780, 120x98cm.) by Francisco de Goya, both recovered by the Heritage Group of the Guardia Civil, are object of a long judicial process between the daughters of Julio Muñoz and the City Council.

According to the testament made by Muñoz Ramonet after his death in Switzerland in 1991, the City of Barcelona was named heir to the properties situated in the Muntaner Street (282-288) and the Avenir Street (26-28) in Barcelona, ​​together with all furniture and artwork that had been inventoried as part of them. A testament that also implies the commitment to manage these assets through a foundation —created in 1995— which should be constituted for this purpose, however, the heirs of the employer objected to the validity of this testament.

The history of this litigation had its first ruling in 2001, when the Swiss courts declared valid the testament. After that, the appeal was addressed to the Court of First Instance No. 1 of Barcelona, ​​which ruled in favor of the City Council on July 6, 2007, forcing heirs to deliver the legacy, or pay a fair price equal to their value, in addition to pay the costs of litigation. A new ruling issued on January 30, 2009 by the same court, reinforced the earlier case and, now, the process is pending the ruling of the Superior Court of Justice of Catalonia.

 Thus, the future of work is subject to final failure of the judicial process and, provisionally, to the decision of the heirs, who must decide whether to deliver the works to Julio Muñoz Ramonet Foundation, or take over compensation equal to their valuation. Alejandro Martínez

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