The PP secures Vox's support for the Decree to accelerate projects

PalmGreen light for the Decree-Law on accelerating projects. The Government has secured Vox's support for the legislation in exchange for removing some references to renewable energies. However, the far right's real reason for their "no" vote on the decree was the need to approve the import of waste from Ibiza to Mallorca. Proof of this is that the Vice President of the Council of Mallorca, Pedro Bestard (Vox), who pressured his political group to be open to negotiations until the very last minute, attended the plenary debate as a member of the public.

As it goes explain the ARA BalearesThe PP and Vox groups in the Consell de Mallorca govern with relative harmony despite constant clashes in the Balearic Parliament. This is why both members of the island government joined forces to urge their counterparts in the legislature to overcome their differences, at least in this area. The negotiations dragged on for two and a half months. The Vox parliamentary group even publicly asked the Government to channel the import of waste exclusively through a separate regulation, but the PP remained firm: if Vox wanted to champion this measure, they would ratify the entire decree-law.

The debate between the two parties wasn't about the details of the decree-law, but rather pure political strategy. As the First Vice President, Antoni Costa, explained, the first version of the regulation had already been agreed upon word for word with Vox. In fact, the far-right party only rejected it. on September 30, as retaliationBecause the PP blocked the processing of their bill to increase the use of Spanish in schools. However, the far-right spokesperson, Manuela Cañadas, boasted from the podium that she had managed to get the government to eliminate the possibility of renewable energy projects benefiting from the acceleration process. A concession that Costa considers "minor."

The regional minister defended the importance of the decree-law, because it provides a "clear, coherent" regulatory framework that replaces a scattered and confusing set of rules. "Investment is possible here," he said: "The Administration is not an obstacle but an ally." Both parties have agreed to process the decree-law as a bill.

Why was it important for the Council?

Waste from Ibiza and Formentera is currently being transported to the Ca na Putxa landfill, which is nearing its capacity, and there are plans to move some of it to Mallorca. In exchange, the Mallorca Council will receive 50 million euros from the Balearic Government. "This was about saving [Vicent] Marí," said PSIB deputy Llorenç Pou, referring to the president of the Ibiza Council. "This decree law will save President Vicent Marí from his mismanagement, because he's been stalling for six years while the Ca na Putxa landfill reaches the end of its lifespan," he emphasized. Beyond the waste import, the decree law aims to streamline and simplify administrative procedures for large investments considered strategic for the economy. It provides for the creation of the Strategic Projects Accelerator Unit to coordinate them and includes the category of Projects of Special Strategic Interest with faster procedures. "What has been approved is urban speculation," Pou said. One of the projects that generated controversy in Parliament was the creation of a private university affiliated with the San Pablo CEU Foundation in Mallorca, which, if it ultimately complies with the regulations, could be established in the Balearic Islands very quickly.

On behalf of Más per Mallorca, Ferran Rosa considered that Costa "may be a brilliant economist, but he's a poor negotiator" for having brought the decree law to the plenary session twice. "It's an almost identical text, with the same justification, and they're fraudulently using an extraordinary measure again," he said, referring to the decree law, insisting that the legislation should have been presented as a bill. Josep Castells, from Més per Menorca, criticized Costa's "triumphalist" attitude: "They've been talking about accelerating projects for two and a half years, and their unit has three employees." "If he wants to accelerate projects, he'll first have to accelerate the acceleration unit," he retorted. He also accused the government of accelerating projects for "friends" and in a "discretionary" manner. José María García, a deputy from Unides Podem, believes that the decree law fosters "lack of control" and eliminates the powers of institutions such as local councils.