The Government justifies the dismissal of the Director General of Costs: "Whoever goes to the beach in Formentera and wants to rent a sun lounger, doesn't have it"

Palma"Whoever goes to the beach in Formentera and wants to rent a sun lounger, doesn't have one." This is how the Vice President and Government Spokesperson, Antoni Costa, spoke about the situation on the island regarding the concession of sun loungers and umbrellas, which has led to the dismissal of the already former Director General of Coasts, Maria Joaquina Ferrer, this Friday after the Government Council meeting. The origin of this conflict dates back to May, when a resolution from the Directorate General of Coasts for temporary facilities for 2026-2029 denied authorization for 681 sun loungers and 339 umbrellas, provoking criticism from the Formentera Council towards the Government (Coasts did authorize 1,169 sun loungers and 589 umbrellas). The Vice President commented that this situation "had not occurred in Formentera in previous years" and stressed that "it has a very significant impact on public interest." "Whoever goes to the beach in Formentera and wants to rent a sun lounger, doesn't have one," he lamented.

"There seems to be, and I say it only seems, a significant divergence between what has happened in previous years and this one, as a result of interpretations that are respectable, but that seem divergent. And the result of this divergence is a significant impact. The main thing is to comply with the regulations, but also that there was an interpretation that led to previous results and that the damage that is currently occurring would not occur," explained the spokesperson.

However, the Minister of the Sea and Water Cycle, Juan Manuel Lafuente, explained in May why more sun loungers and umbrellas had been granted in previous years. Lafuente detailed that the Pact had granted concessions for eight years, even though they can only be granted for four. Lafuente assured that the authorizations had to be adapted "to the reality of 2026".

But the spokesperson reiterated the Government's concern about the lack of sun loungers and umbrellas. Costa clarified that it is not so much about economic gains as about "the loss of quality" of the service and also pointed out that behind the decision to dismiss Ferrer there is no electoral interest whatsoever. According to what ARA Balears has learned, representatives of the business sector had warned that this situation would influence the polls.

In fact, the new Director General of Costs will be the former mayor of Llucmajor, Joan Jaume Mulet, with whom the Government is replacing a technical profile with a political one. With his appointment, the Executive hopes to redirect the situation, "complying at all times with current regulations," Costa clarified. "We trust that the new Director General's spirit of dialogue can rectify the situation in Formentera," he added and reiterated that there had been no pressure to dismiss Ferrer.