The City Council of Sant Joan de Labritja has approved in its last plenary session the ban on smoking on the beaches of Port de Sant Miquel and Cala de Sant Vicent, a measure that aims to strengthen respect for smoke-free spaces already declared. The new regulation expressly prohibits the consumption of tobacco, electronic cigarettes and related products, and provides for fines ranging from 300 to 3,000 euros.
As explained Carmen Rodriguez, Councillor for Tourism, Beaches, Festivals and Youth, “for this smoke-free space is respected we believe it is necessary to go for more drastic measures, such as its prohibition”. The mayor justified the initiative on public health grounds and the need to combat pollution generated by non-biodegradable filters.
“Cigarette filters are one of the main sources of pollution, and this measure is also a way to protect our beaches,” added Rodriguez in statements collected by Diario de Ibiza.
Proposed extension to all beaches
The decision was approved in the plenary session on Thursday, although it was not unanimous, not because of being against the measure, but because of the intention of some groups to extend it to all the beaches of the municipality. This was expressed by Javier Torres, spokesman for Sa Veu des Poble, who confirmed that his group will present allegations to the ordinance: “We already said it in the informative commission; we believe it is better to do it at this time, given the little time left in the legislature.
Torres also stressed the need for clarification on which devices are included in the regulation, since “there are rechargeable electronic cigarettes that people take with them, but other single-use ones end up in the sand. They are a piece of plastic that ends up on our beaches.”
From the Agrupació d’Electors, Santiago Marí was also in favor of the measure, although he pointed out that the amount of the sanctions “could be excessive” and that they will also present allegations.
The measure seeks to reduce waste, prevent diseases and give legal certainty to beaches that had already been declared smoke-free, but whose regulations were not binding. As detailed in Diario de Ibiza, the media that initially reported the news, local authorities want the ban to become a reference for other coastal areas of the island.
Other resolutions of the plenary session
The City Council has unanimously approved the creation of a dialogue table to define the tourism model of the municipality. The proposal, promoted by Sa Veu des Poble, aims to develop a strategic document with the participation of neighborhood, business and cultural organizations, as well as political representatives and technical staff.
“Sant Joan has experienced a positive evolution in terms of tourism, but it is urgent to address the negative externalities such as pressure on the territory or the loss of quality of life,” argued Javier Torres.
Another motion approved by the coalition of Ciudadanos and Sa Veu des Poble contemplates the development of a regulation governing the internal functioning of the municipal plenary, with clear rules on interventions, motions and turns to speak.
The City Council also supported a motion that urges the Balearic Parliament and the Consell de Ibiza to promote a reform of the electoral law to increase the representation of Ibiza. According to the proposing coalition, it is a matter of “correcting a historical injustice” whereby Menorca, with a smaller population, has more representatives than Ibiza.
