He has done so from the institution with the least competences in the matter and taking an obvious political risk, a few months before the May 2027 elections, by putting on the table measures that break with the classical liberal ideology of his party and that involve intervening in the real estate market.

It has much to lose and little to gain in a move that breaks with the short-termism that characterizes the political class of recent times. In a way, he is repeating the move to limit the entry of vehicles and setting the pace of the discourse of the Balearic PP.

The move was not improvised. Marí intentionally took advantage of the traditional end-of-year interviews granted to Diario de Ibiza and Periódico de Ibiza y Formentera to launch messages of high political voltage -urban moratorium, although he was careful not to use a term that raises blisters among his ranks, limits to growth, residents first, Limited Price Housing- with a clear objective: to take the bull by the horns .

In his institutional speech recorded in Sa Coma he already slipped some ideas, but without as much depth as the limitation to the construction of free housing.

No closed plan, but with a calculated maneuver

Sources close to the president insist that there is no plan designed nor a closed package of measures behind these statements. There is no timetable or definitive roadmap. What does exist is a conscious political maneuver that forces all the agents involved to take a position: city councils, professional sectors, political parties and higher administrations.

The reaction has been immediate. The PSOE of Ibiza has accused Marí of inoperativeness and of launching «empty words», being dismayed by a speech that was not expected from the PP.

United Podemos and Vox, on the other hand, have not made any statement so far.

In parallel, some city councils have shown their willingness to explore a possible urban moratorium, while architects and builders have expressed their outright rejection of any suspension of free housing, as reported by Periódico de Ibiza.

After Reyes, contacts with social agents and opinion leaders will be intensified. There will also be collective meetings through the social dialogue mechanisms.

Housing for local people

The need that Vicent Marí has referred to is to provide housing for residents. He has not been the only one. Coincidence or not, in her New Year’s institutional speech, the president of the Balearic Government, Marga Prohens, placed as a priority the need to guarantee housing for local people.

And the housing problem no longer affects only vulnerable groups, but increasingly residents, middle class families, skilled workers and young people born or rooted on the island who can not live where they work. Ibizans who can not return or Ibizans who leave.

A market misaligned with the island’s reality

The diagnosis handled by the president of the Consell is shared by many of the actors involved: housing can jeopardize the successful model of Ibiza.

Free housing is nowadays accessible almost exclusively to the upper classes from countries with a higher per capita income, and in many cases it becomes a second residence.

The prohibitive cost of land, the high construction costs and the legitimate expectations of the promoters make the prices of apartments go through the roof. Both for buying and renting.

The luxury housing that is being built does not solve the housing problem and, far from relieving the pressure, consumes resources and public services – water, health, security – for which the island has neither sufficient capacity nor a stable labor force.

The debate, sources familiar with the Consell’s approach underline, is not about nationalities, but about real use and roots: in a limited territory, every house that is not destined to habitual residence is one less house for those who live and work in Ibiza. And there are problems to find labor, both qualified and unqualified. And unworthy shantytowns, also in winter.

All sectors are suffering from a lack of labor due to the increased needs that have resulted from the transformation of the island towards a model of visitor with greater purchasing power. The increase in the category of hotels, restaurants and nightclubs has meant a greater demand for labor. And for more months.

This reality also affects teachers, health care providers and security forces.

For this reason, the president’s slap on the wrist has affected businessmen and public administrations.

A physical limit and a clear warning

There is a generalized idea that the market is not capable of solving the problem on its own and that unlimited growth is not possible because this only makes the problem worse, since the housing that is built does not meet the needs.

For this reason, the president spoke of limiting the construction of free housing and prioritizing Affordable Housing.

Beyond the price or urban planning, there is a factor that conditions any scenario and that cannot be ignored: Ibiza does not have water to continue growing. The proof is the imposition of Water Resources to the growth contemplated in the General Urban Development Plan (PGOU) of the city of Ibiza.

The solution, via a fourth desalination plant, will take a long time. A decade is the estimated time for it to come into service.

Illegal tourist rentals

Measures such as the fight against illegal tourist rentals, although necessary, have not had a significant effect on the residential market on their own. In a way, it has been a disappointment, since there were high hopes that these homes would be destined for the residential market, something that, at least for the time being, has not been the case.

It cannot be overlooked that the difficulty in attracting workers ends up causing an inflationary spiral that reduces the competitiveness of the destination, since labor costs increase through salaries or through housing paid by the employer. And it feeds tourism-phobia, another risk to be taken into account.

Not to mention the barrier to importing talent that has the ability to decide where to work.

The competence labyrinth

The debate is also taking place in a complex legal and jurisdictional framework. The European Union does not allow prohibiting the purchase of homes by EU citizens or applying discriminatory tax measures.

Municipalities are responsible for urban planning through general plans and subsidiary regulations, which take years to change. They can also increase heights and facilitate the conversion of premises into dwellings.

The Consell can act on the PTI, but it is the tool with the least real impact on this problem.

The Balearic Parliament has the margin to modify the Housing Law and the Government to approve decrees, while the central Government, with a great capacity for intervention, remains practically absent from the debate, weighed down by its parliamentary weakness and by an ideological approach centered on the tenant versus the landlord and which avoids reinforcing legal security in the face of non-payment and squatting so that vacant housing can be put on the residential rental market.

The housing problem is not exclusive to Ibiza, although in peninsular territories the perfect storm does not occur, since it is always possible to build a few kilometers further away from the city center for popular classes as it has been done all my life. This is one more issue on Pedro Sánchez’s table.

Here the role of the Consell de Ibiza is more political than effective. It is the government of the island but without regulatory capacity or competences.

What is and what is not on the table

According to La Voz de Ibiza, the presidentdoes not plan to intervene in the single-family or multi-family housing market in certain high purchasing power areas.

The focus is on the residential market where it is still possible to act and, especially, on the need to build housing for the middle class, both for rental and purchase.

The administration, Marí assumes, cannot solve the problem alone. That the IBAVI builds rental housing for the most disadvantaged groups is necessary, essential in fact, but absolutely insufficient. The vacuum is in the middle class, expelled from the free market completely and to which the administration is not giving answers.

In fact, it is incapable of responding alone. It needs the involvement of developers and builders, sectors that have to make money by building blocks of subsidized housing.

An uncomfortable but unavoidable debate

Although he has not said so publicly and the president is reluctant to do so, all roads lead to a moratorium on free housing so that the resources of the construction sector can be focused on the construction of Limited Price Housing in plots qualified as such or requalified and in transition zones, as provided for in the regional regulations approved by the Government of Marga Prohens.

La entrada Vicent Marí enters the pool of the housing crisis in Ibiza without having competences and at the risk of raising blisters in the PP. se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

• IbSalut to reschedule appointments and operations suspended due to the medical strike

Since the beginning of the year, the discrepancies between the department headed by Mónica García and the regional governments of the PP have been recurrent, especially on issues such as cancer screening, the application of the abortion law and the reform of the Framework Statute for health personnel.

• The vagus nerve, key to a younger heart

Friction in the Interterritorial Council

The tense institutional relationship has been evident in the meetings of the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System (CISNS), the scene of several political confrontations. The most critical point occurred at the end of October, when the PP regional councilors left the meeting held in Zaragoza, denouncing an alleged invasion of competencies.

The conflict intensified after the Ministry of Health’s request for data on breast, colorectal and cervical cancer screening programs, following delays detected in Andalusia. The PP communities accused the Ministry of using the CISNS for partisan purposes, while Health warned of possible legal action for lack of collaboration.

With the passing of the months, all the communities except Madrid have finally sent the required information, according to the Ministry itself. The Ministry of Health of Madrid has defended that the delivery is being made «in due time and form».

Abortion and judicial warnings

Another focus of confrontation has been the refusal of the Community of Madrid to implement a registry of conscientious objectors to abortion, a measure included in the Sexual and Reproductive Health Law of 2023. The regional government argues that this registry violates the freedom of objection, while Health defends that it is an anonymous list to guarantee the provision of the service in the public health system.

In this context, the Ministry sent formal requirements to Madrid, Aragón and the Balearic Islands, warning of possible legal action for non-compliance with the law. The controversy was fueled by the Ministry’s statements about a «rebellion against the law», an extreme that the Madrid Executive has rejected.

The case of Torrejón Hospital

At the end of the year, the healthcare debate widened with the case of the Torrejón Hospital, following the leak of audios attributed to the then director of Ribera Salud, Pablo Gallart. In them he alluded to rejecting patients or unprofitable practices in this privately managed and publicly owned center.

The company defended that the audios were decontextualized and denied irregularities in the care provided. From the Community of Madrid, the Regional Minister Fátima Matute assured that she had not received any notification of formal complaints or actions by the High Medical Inspection announced by the Health Ministry.

The Framework Statute and protests

The reform of the Framework Statute for healthcare personnel has been another of the main focuses of the year. The Ministry has been negotiating for months with the unions in the Negotiation Area, with whom it has reached a pre-agreement that includes the elimination of 24-hour shifts, a reduction in the working day to 35 hours a week and improvements in retirement and public employment.

However, the medical organizations CESM and SMA have rejected the text, calling for a specific statute for physicians. Health has opposed this possibility, considering that it would fragment the cohesion of the national health system, which has led to strikes and mobilizations differentiated from the rest of the unions.

Political clash and financing

The conflict has also reached Congress, where the PP registered a Proposición No de Ley to demand the withdrawal of the reform of the Framework Statute. The differences have extended to funding, following the Government’s approval of 172 million euros for Primary Care, 39 million for mental health and 18 million for suicide prevention.

The Popular Party described these figures as insufficient and accused the Ministry of failing to effectively address the lack of health professionals, especially family doctors.

Progress despite the conflict

Despite the climate of confrontation, Health has managed to push forward several relevant initiatives with broad parliamentary support. These include the creation of the State Public Health Agency, the Mental Health Plan 2025-2027 and the expansion of neonatal screening.

New funds have also been approved for the fight against cancer, the VEO Plan to finance glasses and contact lenses for children under 16 years of age and the allocation of 500 million euros for the ELA law, aimed at strengthening care for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other complex diseases.

La entrada Healthcare closes a year marked by clashes with PP communities and health strikes se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

The Popular Party has registered in the Parliament a Proposition Not of Law (PNL) to urge the president of the Congress of Deputies, the socialist Francina Armengol, to immediately unblock the Proposition of Organic Law against the illegal occupation of homes and premises, approved in the Senate and paralyzed since February 2024.

PP accuses Armengol of «blocking» the protection of property owners

In a press release, the PP spokesman in the Parliament, Sebastià Sagreras, argues that Armengol is blocking a rule that «protects owners and neighbors» and denounces that this situation leaves thousands of citizens unprotected while increasing cases of illegal squatting and ‘inquiokupación’ in the Balearic Islands.

According to the PP, the law promoted in the Senate would make it possible to speed up evictions in a period of up to 24 hours, strengthen criminal sanctions and apply complementary measures such as the prohibition of registering in occupied dwellings and tax benefits for those affected.

«The legitimate effort of families to access housing cannot be violated by squatting and the passivity of those who have the obligation to process the law,» says Sagreras, who insists that the initiative does not question social housing policies, but seeks to protect those who comply with the law.

Marí: «Without clear rules, the small owner will not rent again».

The PP’s criticisms coincide with the diagnosis expressed by Vicent Marí in interviews published on Sunday in Diario de Ibiza and Periódico de Ibiza y Formentera, in which he directly links the lack of legal security with the withdrawal of homes from the rental market in Ibiza.

«The solution is not only to build more, but also for empty homes or those that disappear from the illegal market to be used again for residential rental. For this, it is essential that there is legal certainty,» says the president of the Consell.

Marí warns that, without clear rules that allow evicting a property in case of occupation or non-payment, many small owners with bad experiences choose not to rent: «If there is no legal framework that prevents them from taking years to recover their property, they will not put it back on the market. Today, we have a lot of empty properties in Ibiza».

La entrada PP offensive against the Government’s permissiveness towards squatting and the legal insecurity for landlords se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

• Travel with «heart in the throat»: Ibiza bus driver recorded using cell phone while driving

A subsidy aimed only at residents

Juan stressed that the free public transport is designed for residents and regular users, not for visitors or people outside the legal requirements of the program. «The Consell can not endorse access outside the legality,» said the vice president, who stressed the «economic effort of all Ibizans» to support the measure. The free service will cost 9 million euros in 2025, of which the State has pledged to contribute 6, although -according to Juan- «not one euro has arrived yet», while 3 million will be covered by the island’s budget.

PP accuses PSOE of «opportunism».

The PP questioned that it is the PSOE who criticizes the internal instruction, recalling that the Socialists, in the Senate, did not support the universal free bus service. For the popular group, the current position of the PSOE responds to a «sterile attempt at political attrition» and evidence – according to its statement – that the socialists «aspire to continue for many years as an opposition group» in the Consell.

La entrada PP guarantees free bus service for all vulnerable people in Ibiza se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

Sémper expressed his gratitude for the support received: «We are grateful for the support we have received.So far so good. Grateful for so much affection and encouragement impossible to answer one by one. Thank you! «. His publication, echoed by thousands of followers, generated numerous reactions of solidarity among colleagues, journalists and citizens.

The diagnosis: a tumor detected at an early stage

The former Basque parliamentarian revealed his illness on July 14, after confirming that a cancerous tumor had been detected in a «very early» stage during a routine check-up. The diagnosis forced him to face a «demanding» treatment and altered his public presence.

After 4 months of treatment, I’ve been without chemotherapy for 4 weeks now.
Hair is starting to come out and little by little I’m recovering courage and strength to face what lies ahead.
So far so good.

Grateful for so much affection and encouragement impossible to answer one by one.
Thank you! pic.twitter.com/wYOoygnwqy

– Borja Sémper (@bsemper) December 8, 2025

In his press conference, Sémper pointed out that he hopes to overcome the ailment with good medical prospects. In spite of the personal impact, he indicated his intention to make the professional one «as little as possible, although it will be difficult». This announcement generated a wave of support both inside and outside his party.

Public solidarity and family support in networks

During these months, his partner, actress Bárbara Goenaga, has publicly expressed her support on several occasions. In September she published an emotional message with family photos, assuring that although he «looks strange, he is still the most handsome guy on the planet, and the most cheerful and best sick».

• Prohens also shows her support to Sémper: «You have always been one of the brave ones».

More recently, Sémper also shared a message on Instagram thanking him for his company: «»I once told him ‘I will slay dragons for you’; now I am aware of how presumptuous I was…»». In his networks, Sémper has also recovered small daily habits, such as sharing his pending readings, thus showing his intention to gradually resume normality.

The message of optimism after difficult weeks

Monday’s publication not only marks a turning point in his treatment, but also a gesture of optimism. In the midst of a hard physical and emotional process, the politician has decided to share his improvement with the public, aware of the impact and support that his situation had awakened.

Sémper’s words are evidence of his willingness to move forward with renewed strength and to show that recovery, although gradual, is possible. This sincerity has received public praise and has generated a flood of messages of encouragement.

A cautious and hopeful recovery

The break in chemotherapy represents a significant pause in his treatment, although Sémper has not yet detailed the medical steps he will take next. What he does communicate is that his hair is beginning to reappear and that his mood is improving, two symbolic signs of overcoming a delicate health process.

Armengol’s emotional message to Sémper in his hard personal moment

This type of statement can also contribute to making visible the reality of many people fighting against cancer, and to generate social solidarity. In her case, her high public exposure multiplies the reach of this message of resistance.

A difficult chapter that does not stop your will to continue

With his announcement, Borja Sémper puts a momentary end to months of discretion and media absence. The hope of resuming his life, his family, his work and his projects appears again, although with the caution of those who know the rigors of treatment.

Sémper’s story is a reminder that even public figures must face challenges as human as cancer, and that behind political life there are people with fears, hopes and adversities. His reappearance is a breath of hopeful air, while his message continues to generate support and affection from different corners of the country.

La entrada Borja Sémper reappears after months of treatment and shares message of hope in networks se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

• More than 50 students participate in the Ibiza Children’s Plenary Session: these are the issues they put on the table

Cardona thanked the support of affiliates and supporters, whom he defined as «engine and speaker», and stressed that the last four years have been of shared work. He also highlighted the collaboration with the insular PP and the mayor Rafael Triguero, with whom he maintains a line of political coordination in the City Council of Ibiza.

Support from the Consell

The island president, José Vicente Marí, supported the continuity of Cardona and said that the challenge now is to consolidate the political change in Vila. Marí insisted that the party’s commitment is to maintain the course initiated and avoid «setbacks».

For his part, Rafael Triguero claimed that the PP is the party «of the people who wake up early and work hard,» and noted that his municipal government acts for all residents, regardless of political sign. He admitted that there is still work to be done, but assured his support for the re-elected local president.

The president of the Consell de Ibiza, Vicent Marí, closed the event by stressing that internal unity is the element that allows to generate confidence and compete electorally. In his opinion, both Cardona and Triguero represent this line of joint work within the party.

La entrada Cardona renews leadership in the PP of Ibiza se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

Although the specific crimes behind the arrests have not yet been detailed, the operation takes place in the midst of the progress of the investigation known as the ‘Mascarillas’ case, which examines alleged illegal commissions in public contracts awarded during the pandemic.

The ‘Mascarillas’ case, the backdrop

The vice-president Fernando Giménez and the mayor Rodrigo Sánchez were already under judicial investigation for this case, which analyzes contracts for the supply of sanitary material processed by the Diputación in the most critical months of the covid. At the center of the case is a file valued at 2.03 million euros.

• Koldo García desafía a la comisión de investigación sobre el caso mascarillas: «¿Todos ustedes me van a llamar cuando me declaren inocente?»

At the beginning of this month, the PSOE -which exercises the popular accusation- requested that the provincial president, Javier A. García, be called to testify, alleging new contradictions: the party pointed out «the lack of concordance between the statements of witnesses and those investigated» and relied on recent data provided by the UCO in an attestation of April 25.

What the PSOE demanded clarification

The Socialists demanded that García explain when, how and from whom he had knowledge of the negotiations and awards under investigation, considering him ultimately responsible for the signing of the contract under suspicion. The aim was to determine whether there were indications of prevarication, bribery, influence peddling, embezzlement, fraud, illegal exactions or prohibited negotiations.

• El lunes arranca la comisión de investigación por el caso mascarillas ‘fake’: Salvador Illa el primer citado

In addition, the PSOE asked the council to provide the list of advisors to the president between March 2020 and March 2022, detailing functions and assignment. It also requested to identify the members assigned to the area of the then deputy Óscar Liria and the current vice president Fernando Giménez, both investigated.

A chat that fueled suspicions

Among the documentation mentioned by the socialists were messages belonging to a messaging group called «Naranjito», in which, according to the record, Javier A. García, Óscar Liria and Fernando Giménez would have participated. One of these messages is literally included in the statement, in which García writes: «Óscar, you’ve made a mess with the masks (…) shut up!

• El Parlament balear crea una comisión de investigación sobre el caso mascarillas ‘fake’

For the PSOE, this exchange «shows a direct knowledge of the facts» and justified the full incorporation of the chat to the case. In this context, the arrest of the president and the provincial vice-president acquires an even more relevant political and judicial dimension.

Searches, arrests and a case in full swing

During the morning, the UCO plans to continue with the searches while it is being clarified whether the arrests are directly linked to the ‘Mascarillas’ case or to other lines of investigation. For now, the authorities have not detailed the specific facts attributed to each of the detainees.

• El juez rechaza la personación del Govern en el caso mascarillas ‘fake’ porque no existe el perjuicio contra la administración pública

What is confirmed by the sources consulted is that the arrests took place at a key moment, when the judicial investigation was moving towards new proceedings and with the pressure of the popular accusation asking for the extension of responsibilities.

A crisis with immediate political impact

The arrests fully affect the leadership of the Popular Party in Almeria: Javier A. Garcia is not only president of the Provincial Council, but also president of the provincial PP. His arrest is a political earthquake that anticipates internal and external consequences within the party.

Meanwhile, the judicial investigation continues to advance, driven by the activity of the UCO and by the attestations that continue to provide data on the contracts investigated during the pandemic.

With the three charges in custody, searches underway and a case reactivated, the case is entering a decisive phase that could completely change the political map of the province.

La entrada President and vice-president of the Almeria Provincial Council arrested by UCO for irregular contracts se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

In just a few days, the secretary general of the Partido Popular de la Comunidad Valenciana (PPCV) has gone from being an internal party figure to become the natural candidate to lead the regional executive, pending the final endorsement of Vox, whose position will be key to his investiture.

Born in Finestrat (Alicante) in 1976, Pérez Llorca (familiarly known as Juanfran) has had an extensive career within the PP, based on local management and party loyalty.

From his beginnings in Finestrat to his rise in Valencian politics

His political career began in the City Council of Finestrat in 2003, when he joined as a councilman in the opposition. Four years later, he assumed the responsibility of Urbanism, and in 2015 he reached the mayoralty, a position he has revalidated with large majorities.

His management at the head of the municipality earned him recognition within the provincial PP, which incorporated him as deputy for Alicante in the Provincial Council, a position he also kept after the 2019 elections.

The rise of Pérez Llorca was consolidated with the arrival of Carlos Mazón to the leadership of the Valencian PP. First he occupied the provincial coordination, then he was deputy secretary of organization of the PPCV, and after the popular victory in the autonomic elections of 2023, he became secretary general of the party.

In 2024 he went a step further, taking on the role of spokesman for the popular group in the Valencian Parliament, replacing Miguel Barrachina.

The candidate of continuity

The close relationship between Mazón and Pérez Llorca has been a constant during their political careers, and both share Alicante origin and a similar vision on the modernization of the party and institutional management. Within the PP, Juanfran is considered a leader with a technical, prudent and efficient profile, more focused on organization and background work than on media exposure.

The national president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has endorsed his candidacy after a meeting at the headquarters of Genova. The national leadership describes him as a leader of «transition and stability», capable of maintaining the political course without generating internal fractures.

What is Pérez Llorca’s track record like?

Before devoting himself fully to politics, Pérez Llorca worked in the private sector, experience that he transferred to his public management from the consistory of Finestrat. Under his leadership, he promoted urban development projects, attracting investment and promoting local employment.

Considered a moderate figure within the Valencian Popular Party, Pérez Llorca symbolizes the continuity of Mazón’s project, although with a more discreet style and oriented towards institutional efficiency.

If he manages to pass the parliamentary procedure, he will become the new president of the Generalitat Valenciana, leading a key transition stage for the regional PP.

La entrada Who is Juan Francisco Pérez Llorca, Carlos Mazón’s successor candidate? se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

The entity states that, after the latest political decisions and the lack of institutional will to guarantee the presence of Catalan in all public spheres, the aim is now to reduce its role in the educational system as well.

«Catalan is a tool for cohesion, coexistence and equal opportunities, and reducing its use means impoverishing our culture and weakening our collective identity,» the IEE communiqué stresses.

• The PP faces Vox and launches its own law to regulate the vehicularity of the Spanish language

Concern over a «serious setback» in language rights

The Institut d’Estudis Eivissencs considers that the PP initiative represents a serious risk to the normalization and linguistic cohesion of the territory, as well as to the respect for the cultural and linguistic diversity that characterizes the islands.

• This will be spent by the Govern on a new survey on the use of Catalan in the Balearic Islands

For decades, Balearic society has worked to recover linguistic normality and place Catalan as an element of union between generations and cultures. However, the IEE warns that this collective effort is being eroded by «discourses that associate Catalan with imposition or division», when – it states – «it is the only common element that can unite the different communities that coexist in our islands».

• Vox erodes the PP with the flag of Castilian in education.

Criticism of the «balance» between Catalan and Spanish

The cultural entity maintains that the measures presented by political leaders as a supposed «balance» between Catalan and Spanish actually hide «a desire for the progressive displacement of the native language».

According to the IEE, the proposals of the Popular Party aim to dismantle the only space where Catalan maintains effective protection: the school. If approved, it warns, it would mean «a serious setback in the guarantee of linguistic rights and social cohesion».

In view of this situation, the Institut d’Estudis Eivissencs calls on all institutions, entities and citizens to reaffirm the role of Catalan as a vehicular language, a language of welcome and coexistence.

«No society can progress if it renounces its voice, and our voice – the one that has made us who we are – is and must continue to be Catalan,» the communiqué concludes.

Continue reading:

• Ibiza and Formentera, the islands where the fewest families choose Catalan at school

• An unforgivable error in the bidding documents, the cause of the failed ambulance contract

• «They leave us vans, not ambulances»: UGT accuses the Govern of «dismantling» new fleet for Ibiza and Formentera

La entrada The Institut d’Estudis Eivissencs denounces an attack on Catalan in education by the Balearic Government se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

• The Government faces the state airbnb nautical state and vetoes the tourist rental in its ports

What was the PSIB’s unexpected announcement?

The socialist deputy Milena Herrera said Monday that the PSIB has managed to get the Ministry of Transport to exclude the Balearic Islands from the royal decree regulating the rental of private boats. As she explained at a press conference, the measure is part of the negotiations with the Ministry and responds to the «enormous tourist saturation» that affects the archipelago.

Herrera affirmed that the Ministry has expressed its commitment to incorporate a specific regime for territories such as the Balearic Islands before the start of the 2026 tourist season. «We have worked to prevent a regulation designed for the whole state from generating more pressure on our coasts,» he said.

In the same vein, the Socialist spokesman in Parliament, Iago Negueruela, argued that the agreement makes unnecessary the meeting of the Nautical Bureau convened by the Government to address the decree, and urged the Executive of Marga Prohens to focus on issues that do fall within its competence, such as the labor conflict in public transport.

What the Government has said

A few hours after the announcement of the PSIB, sources of the Conselleria del Mar y del Ciclo del Agua denied having knowledge of the alleged agreement. According to them, Herrera’s intervention was the first news they received about a possible exclusion of the state decree.

The regional executive recalled that, in response to state regulations, and issued a resolution to prevent the profitable use of private moorings in ports under regional management, a decision that is in force. In addition, a meeting of the Nautical Sector Bureau is scheduled to address the current situation and define future actions, regardless of the PSIB announcements.

For the time being, no legal provision has been published that modifies the approved text and, according to the Govern, neither has any change been officially reported by the Ministry of Transport.

La Voz de Ibiza consulted the Ministry of Transport to find out about this possible exception announced by the PSIB, but has not yet received an answer.

What the PP has said

For his part, the deputy of the Balearic PP, Sebastià Mesquida, expressed skepticism about the announcement of the Socialists and questioned the reliability of the alleged commitment to the Ministry of Transport. «The reality is that the regulations, published in the BOE, allows from August 15 the rental of private boats also in the Balearic Islands,» he said.

Mesquida accused the PSIB of having reacted late and now trying to «wash the face» of the Government of Sanchez, by announcing an agreement that, he said, does not translate into any current measure. «After weeks of silence, they wake up talking about future commitments, when the regulations are already approved,» he said.

The popular parliamentarian insisted that the only guarantee to stop the saturation of the coast is the action of the Government of Marga Prohens, and not the promises of the central Executive.

Nautical Table and autonomic measures

Meanwhile, the Govern maintains the convening for Tuesday of the Nautical Bureau, which is scheduled to analyze the effects of the new state regulations and consider possible additional measures from the regional level.

In this context, uncertainty remains as to whether the application of the Royal Decree will have an effective impact in the Balearic Islands as of August 15, or whether any regulatory exception will be made before

Continue reading:

• Harsh warning from the nautical sector of Ibiza: the new state standard is «a time bomb».

• Ibiza demands to stop the «nautical airbnb» and accuses the central government of «disloyalty».

La entrada Clashing versions on nautical airbnb: the PSIB announces an exception and the Government denies it. se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

The judge has concluded that there is no evidence to justify the existence of irregularities in the assignment of the space and has closed the investigation.

• Vicent Marí dismissed in the case «La Vida Islados».

The origin of the complaint: an alleged favored treatment

The PSOE’s complaint originated after a political act of the PP in April 2023 at the Ibiza Fairgrounds, in which the party presented its candidates for the municipal and island elections. According to the socialists, the Consell de Ibiza had held there, a day earlier, the Gold Medal ceremony, paying FECOEV an amount of 58,000 euros, while the PP only paid 3,300 euros for using the same infrastructure.

The PSOE argued that this difference in costs was a sign of favoritism towards the PP and denounced that no entry record of the formation formally requesting the use of the space or documentation justifying the cost reduction had been found.

PP’s defense: legal procedure without irregularities

During the judicial process, the PP and the Consell de Ibiza defended the legality of the contracting and provided evidence that refuted the socialist accusation, as reported by Diario de Ibiza. In his statement before the judge in September 2024, the president of the Consell, Vicent Marí, assured that the reservation of the space was made correctly, through a phone call, and that the rental of the venue was billed according to the rates established by FECOEV, including a 90% discount for being a non-profit entity.

Also, the PP clarified that only rented the space and that other services -mounting, lighting, sound and decoration- were contracted and paid directly to external suppliers, raising the total cost of the event to more than 10,500 euros. FECOEV, for its part, confirmed that, as a commercial entity subject to private law, does not process administrative records when acting as a service provider, so there was no irregularity in the management of the rental of the space.

Judge closes the case due to lack of criminal indications

In her resolution, the judge of the Court of Instruction number 2 of Ibiza determined that no evidence was found to justify the existence of a crime of embezzlement or irregularities in the contracting of the Recinto Ferial. The resolution establishes that the rates applied were within the regulations in force and that there is no evidence that the PP received favorable treatment.

For this reason, the judge decreed the provisional dismissal of the case, although the decision is not final and the PSOE has the possibility of filing an appeal.

A second judicial file in a few months for the PSOE

This court ruling is in addition to another setback suffered by the PSOE in December 2024, when the Court of Instruction number 4 of Ibiza filed the case known as La Vida Islados. In that case, the socialists accused the president of the Consell de Ibiza, Vicent Marí, of prevarication, influence peddling and coercion in the contracting of an advertising campaign in 2020 to promote the island in the midst of the tourism crisis due to the pandemic.

The judge determined that the emergency hiring was legally justified due to the tourist crisis situation and concluded that there was no evidence of a crime. The resolution of La Vida Islados was a blow to the PSOE, since the court itself endorsed that the actions of the Consell at that time were legal and necessary.

Political impact and PP reaction

The archiving of both cases is a setback for the PSOE’s strategy of using the courts to question the management of the PP in Ibiza. The Popular Party has defended at all times that these allegations were unfounded and that they were part of a political strategy rather than a judicial reality.

After learning of the decision of the Court of Instruction number 2, PP sources have pointed out that this ruling confirms that the socialist accusations were baseless and that the PSOE has tried to judicialize politics without success. They have also stressed that the PSOE of Ibiza has been left in evidence after these two consecutive judicial failures, which have dismantled their attempts to link the PP with alleged irregularities.

For its part, the PSOE has not yet announced whether it will appeal the ruling, although this new judicial setback calls into question its strategy and its ability to sustain its accusations against the PP and the Consell de Ibiza.

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• Prohens demands PSOE to ask for forgiveness after «La Vida Islados» case is closed

La entrada New judicial setback for the PSOE of Ibiza: the judge files the lawsuit against the PP and the Consell for the use of the Fairgrounds se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

• Failure of the Govern’s housing decree in Ibiza: only a handful of new homes at limited price in 15 months

One of the most relevant measures agreed between Feijóo and the popular barons is to reduce to 4% in their territories the transfer tax on the purchase of second-hand homes for young people.

100% financing

Another measure is to facilitate 100% of the financing to under 40 years for the purchase of the first home. Feijóo has affirmed that from the PP they are going to lower taxes «to everyone». «We are going to lower taxes for those who buy a home. We are going to lower it to those who rent housing and we are also going to lower it to those who rent housing,» he added.

Anti-okupas measures

«We are tired of being taxed and having obstacles and more obstacles to try to survive. Most see that the quality of their lives is declining,» he said during his speech at the Hotel de la Reconquista in Oviedo, pointing out the objective of the PP to lower taxes «to all» to promote access to housing, repeal a Housing Law that he describes as «interventionist», promote a new ‘Land Law’ and a ‘Law against squatting’, with a service for victims of squatting. Under the slogan The policy that serves Feijóo and his ‘barons’ consider that housing is «a serious problem in Spain» and «families know it, especially young people, who face exorbitant prices, with low wages and the highest youth unemployment in Europe». «The owners who suffer the occupation of their homes know it. And the developers know it, who are aware of the obstacles», he added.

PP measures

Thus, in their ‘Declaration of Asturias’, the PP propose ten measures to «kick-start the National Housing Plan«, which they will present in the coming weeks. To this end, they are committed to apply tax incentives to boost the market «focused especially on target groups: young people, people with disabilities, large or single-parent families, victims of gender violence, municipalities at risk of depopulation, historic centers and rural areas«.

30% below market price

In addition, they are committed to promoting the construction of affordable rental housing at a price up to 30% below the market, through the transfer of surface rights or administrative concessions on public land; to mobilize public land, both patrimonial and demanial, for the promotion of public, social and affordable housing, either rented or owned; and to promote subsidized housing (or affordable housing) in property, making the regulatory framework for the construction of public and private subsidized housing (VPO) more flexible, aimed at that broad spectrum of society that is not a beneficiary of social housing, but finds it difficult to access free housing. They also want to offer incentives to developers and builders for the development of subsidized housing actions, «recovering the successful model that made it possible to create a Spain of homeowners in the 80s and 90s». Consolidating an open market is another objective of the PP to promote «administrative and regulatory simplification and reduce bureaucracy».

• No housing or tenants in the Government’s flagship program to promote safe renting: the reasons why

La entrada The PP’s recipe for facilitating access to housing and curbing squatting se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

Feijóo: «For freedom and against tyranny».

Feijóo, through a message on X (formerly Twitter), has encouraged citizens to participate in the rally and to show solidarity with the Venezuelan people: «The Venezuelan people filled the ballot boxes with votes for freedom and against tyranny. On January 9 they will fill the streets with hope.»

Díaz Ayuso, for her part, supported the mobilizations with the message, «Madrid, as always, with Venezuela.» During an event commemorating the 50th anniversary of Franco’s death, the Madrid president declared that the only thing to celebrate is «the fall of Maduro.»

Full support of the PP to Edmundo González

The Popular Party has repeatedly expressed its support for Edmundo González, who was recognized as the winner of the Venezuelan elections of July 28. Both Aznar and Rajoy have previously met with the opposition leader in Madrid, conveying their commitment to Venezuelan democracy. The national spokesman of the PP, Borja Sémper, stated that, had he been in government, the PP would have already officially recognized Gonzalez as the legitimate president of Venezuela, criticizing the lack of action of the current Executive of Pedro Sanchez.

Reports of kidnappings and persecution in Venezuela

The PP has also echoed the statements of González, who denounced the kidnapping of his son-in-law, Rafael Tudares, a few days before the investiture of Nicolás Maduro. The secretary general of the PP, Cuca Gamarra, condemned the «kidnapping and harassment of opposition leaders and their families», demanding that the Spanish government «raise the alarm» in defense of democracy and freedom in Venezuela.

Rajoy and Aznar: united in support of Venezuela

This Thursday’s rally will be the umpteenth occasion in which Aznar and Rajoy appear together in acts headed by Feijóo, after having participated in mobilizations against the amnesty law and in other events of the formation. The PP thus reinforces its position as a strong supporter of the Venezuelan opposition in the Spanish political scene.

La entrada Aznar, Rajoy, Ayuso and Feijóo, together in support of democracy in Venezuela se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

Lack of resources is a concern in the Balearic Islands

Marqués stressed that the current six vessels of the Maritime Service are insufficient to cover the surveillance needs in the islands, where more than 30,000 recreational boats operate in high season.

• Jucil supports Formentera’s request for maritime resources from the Guardia Civil and Salvamento Marítimo

In addition, he pointed out that Formentera and Menorca are the most affected by this shortage, as they lack permanently assigned boats and depend on travel from Palma. The senator has also warned of the increase in arrivals of migrants in irregular boats, which this year have tripled the figures recorded in 2023, attributing it to the increased activity of mafias operating in the region.

Approval of the motion and criticisms of management

The motion presented by the PP includes, in addition to the request for the vessel, an increase in the human and material resources of the Maritime Service throughout the Balearic Islands. Although it received majority support in the Joint Commission, the PP has pointed out contradictions in the PSOE, accusing the party of not maintaining a uniform position between what it defends in Madrid and in the Balearic Islands. «It is difficult to understand that, while in the Balearic Parliament all the groups voted in favor of this measure, in Madrid another attitude is adopted,» commented Marqués. The PP believes that increasing surveillance resources is not only necessary to ensure coastal security, but also to respond to the demands of tourism and maritime trade in the Balearics. According to the party, this investment would allow Formentera and other smaller islands to have a greater capacity to respond to emergencies and illegal activities, as well as to ensure a more efficient management of its coastline.

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• Formentera approves to ask the Government for Civil Guard and Maritime Rescue vessels to face the increase of emergencies in its waters.

La entrada Increased pressure to provide Formentera with a fixed patrol boat of the Civil Guard se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

• Final agreement: flood zones are excluded from new construction and legalization works

The decrees approved are of great relevance. The first corrects 34 amendments by Vox to the Law of Administrative Simplification which, due to an error by the PP, would have eliminated Catalan as a vehicular language in education and removed its status as a requirement for access to public administration. The second decree prohibits new constructions in flood zones and the legalization of existing buildings in risk areas in the Balearic Islands. In exchange for the support of the left, the PP pledged to paralyze Vox’s proposal to repeal the Law of Democratic Memory, passed in 2018.

A pact that marginalizes Vox

After winning the elections in 2023 without obtaining an absolute majority, Prohens decided to govern alone, with the external support of Vox, a party with which she reached a programmatic agreement of 110 measures and to which she ceded the presidency of the Parliament. However, the relationship between the two parties has been deteriorating month after month, with the language policy as the main stumbling block, to the point that the PP will not be able to approve its autonomic budgets, since Vox conditioned its support to a change of course regarding Catalan in schools. The internal crisis of the Vox parliamentary group itself has also had an influence, which in a year and a half of legislature has had to change its spokesperson and has lost two of the eight deputies it obtained at the polls due to abandonment.

The challenge of governing alone

The main challenge for the Govern will be to approve the autonomic budgets next February, when parliamentary activity resumes. Without the support of Vox, the only way for the PP will be to negotiate with the left again to guarantee stability in the remaining two years of the legislature. The Socialist spokesman, Iago Negueruela, stressed «the importance of parliamentary arithmetic» and offered dialogue to the PP, while criticizing the «blackmail» of Vox. From Més per Mallorca, Lluís Apesteguia valued the pact as a step towards «coexistence» and asked to «remove them» from Balearic politics to stop their «hate strategy». The plenary session was marked by moments of tension, especially when the spokeswoman of Vox accused the PP and PSOE of being «the cancer of Spain». Cristina Gómez, a PP deputy recently reinstated after cancer treatment, reproached these words, recalling the more than 300,000 cancer diagnoses in Spain this year alone. In a scenario of great polarization, Prohens will have to demonstrate her ability to weave specific agreements that will allow her to maintain control of the Govern and circumvent the political blockade of Vox.

La entrada An agreement between the PP and the left leaves Vox cornered in Parliament se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

Commitment to rectification

From the Govern, Vice President Antoni Costa has reaffirmed that the decree law will be a priority to correct any possible impact derived from this mistake. «The PP is a party that, when it makes a mistake, recognizes it, apologizes and corrects,» said Sagreras, highlighting the importance of the Administrative Simplification Law, which was approved in the same plenary session. However, the spokesman admitted that the approval of this law, key to reduce bureaucracy in the Balearic Islands, was tarnished by the mistake in the vote.

The opposition charges against the PP

The opposition did not take long to react. Representatives of the PSIB, Més per Mallorca and Podemos have described what happened as a «legislative catastrophe». The spokesman for Més, Lluís Apesteguia, has been especially critical, pointing out that what happened shows a lack of coordination within the ruling party. «It is an unprecedented legal mess in our community,» he said. The opposition parties have requested an urgent meeting with the president of the Govern, Marga Prohens, to address what happened and demand explanations. In addition to correcting the amendments approved in error, the Govern has announced the approval of an additional decree law that will prohibit construction in risk areas and allow action to be taken in dwellings out of planning to improve their safety.

La entrada The PP admits its mistake in the Parliament and assures that it will be corrected with a decree-law se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.

The new management company and its objectives

The Autonomous Executive Committee of the PP has decided to appoint Francisco Ferrer as president of the management committee, with the support of Hugo Martínez and Eva Nieto in the management team. This commission will be in charge of directing the internal affairs of the PP in Formentera on a provisional basis, while preparing the way towards a new definitive direction. In a statement, the Partido Popular has explained that the decision responds to the need to restore stability to the party on the island, while seeking to resolve the differences that have arisen within the Sa Unió coalition, of which the PP is a member.

A conflict that leaves scars

Despite having resigned the presidency of the party, Alcaraz maintains his position as councilor in the Consell de Formentera, arguing that his departure would not solve the problems of governance. He has also assured that Sa Unió will not sit down again to negotiate with Córdoba, whom he accuses of having «insulted, swindled and extorted» the members of the coalition. The tension between Sa Unió and the president of the Consell began in November 2023, when Cordoba hinted that he might withdraw his unconditional support for the president of the Govern, Marga Prohens. The differences deepened after it was revealed that Cordoba had asked for a bonus to maintain his loyalty, which generated an irreversible deterioration in the relationship with Sa Unió’s councilors.

La entrada The PP seeks to overcome the internal crisis in Formentera with a temporary leadership headed by Francisco Ferrer se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.