At a press conference held on Wednesday, the mayor of Sant Josep, Vicent Roig, spoke out on the controversy surrounding the decree of closure of Can Jordi, ensuring that the objective of the City Council is to ensure the future of the iconic bar under the current regulations. In addition, Roig denounced internal leaks that, according to him, have jeopardized the rights of the establishment and have generated unnecessary pressure.
A decree that does not imply an immediate closure
Last December 5, the City Council issued a closure decree against Can Jordi for lack of proper documentation to operate, including the imposition of a fine of 16,500 euros and restrictions on the use of the terrace and the performance of concerts.. Sin embargo, Roig aclaró que no se trata de un cierre definitivo, sino de un procedimiento administrativo para regularizar su situación. “No estamos hablando de un cierre inminente, como se ha titulado en algunos medios, sino de iniciar un expediente y dar 15 días a la propiedad para presentar la documentación faltante”, explicó.
Roig stressed that these types of administrative procedures are commonplace in the City Council, and mentioned that, over the last year, nearly 300 similar communications have been issued to regularize activities in Sant Josep. “The lack of documentation puts the activity, guarantees and insurance at risk, but our goal is to work together with the property to solve these problems,” he said.
Complaint of internal leaks
The mayor focused much of his speech to denounce what he described as “leaks in bad faith” by members of the opposition, who would have disclosed confidential information of the decree. “It is a great irresponsibility that files open since 2003 have not been resolved together with the property, especially in the last two legislatures,” he lamented. Roig added that these leaks not only affect the City Council, but also compromise the rights of Can Jordi as a business and its defense process. “It is regrettable that a third party like Can Jordi, which is an icon of Sant Josep and has the support of thousands of people, has been put at risk,” he said. According to Roig, the leaks are part of a strategy of political attrition that, in this case, has had direct consequences on the establishment. “We will have the records of who accessed the decree and we will provide all the information to the property if they decide to denounce these facts,” he said.
The weight of Can Jordi in the local culture
The case of Can Jordi has generated a wide mobilization in social networks, with messages of support for the bar for its role in promoting music and culture on the island. “I am proud to have a venue like Can Jordi in our municipality. It is our responsibility to guarantee its future, but always complying with the regulations,” Roig concluded. The mayor also made a call to work together and avoid cases like this being used to generate political divisions or distrust in the institutions. “Administrations are not perfect, but we have a duty to act with transparency and responsibility,” he said, making it clear that the City Council will go ahead with the necessary procedures to resolve this conflict.
