The Popular Party of the Balearic Islands has inhibited itself from the Formentera crisis. Despite having publicly urged its councilors to recompose the government with the still president Llorenç Cordoba, it would not have made any move to prevent the motion of censure against Cordoba. At least this is what Verónica Castelló has revealed on the radio station financed by the Consell de Formentera.
Castelló has flatly denied knowing the alleged agreement that Llorenç Córdoba wields with the Balearic PP, by which no popular councilor would support a motion of censure: “At no time has anything been transferred to us from Palma,” he assured. As for the possible reincorporation of José Manuel Alcaraz as a position of trust in the new government, Castelló has assured that it is “a possibility” and has advanced that the distribution of the areas of the Consell will remain “more or less the same”, although the responsibilities previously assumed by Alcaraz will be redistributed.
Pantomime: Alcaraz’s resignation
These statements contrast with the intentions expressed by the former president of the PP of Formentera who assured, in statements to Periódico de Ibiza y Formentera, that “I don’t want anything” in relation to the hypothesis that the resignation demanded by GxF and PSOE to support the motion of censure was a sort of pantomime. Castelló has stated in Ràdio Illa that, after the motion of censure and the investiture of Òscar Portas as president of the Consell de Formentera on December 27, it will be necessary a “point and apart” to achieve stability and “work for the island and its citizens in the remaining two and a half years of legislature“. Regarding the positions of trust of the current government, eCastelló has been blunt in assuring that “there will be changes”, pointing specifically to the director of Litoral, Asier Fernandez, and the head of press, José María de Lamo, of whom he said that “do not fit with us“. However, he did not give details about the future of other positions, such as Pipo Vulpis (Waste and Mobility), Alessandro Metastasio (Tourism) and Carla Tur (Day Center and Residence).
Dialogue with GxF and PSOE
Regarding the future governability of the Consell, Castelló acknowledged that Sa Unió will form a minority government, so dialogue will be essential: “We will have to approach GxF and PSOE to negotiate important proposals for the island,” he said, appealing to the consensus between the formations. Castelló recalled that Sa Unió would regain the absolute majority only if Llorenç Córdoba resigns his position as councilor, since his replacement would be a member of the coalition’s list.
The candidacy of Òscar Portas
As for the election of Òscar Portas as president, Castelló has clarified that, although she herself was the first choice of the coalition, the appointment of Portas “has not been a problem”, insisting that “there is no internal war” in Sa Unió.
Belén Palerm, possible replacement for Alcaraz
Regarding the replacement of José Manuel Alcaraz, Castelló confirmed that, according to the order of the electoral list, Belén Palerm would be the natural candidate: “She is eager and enthusiastic“, but she is still “evaluating her personal and work situation”, so the decision will be known in the next few days.
