The Consell Insular de Formentera has decided to intervene motu proprio on the coast due to the lack of action by the Spanish government (competent administration) in maintaining the protection elements of the dune systems of the Natural Park of Ses Salines.

The Civil Guard has opened an investigation to clarify the circumstances of the death of two bodies found on the beaches of Formentera.

The Civil Guard is investigating the discovery of the body of a dead woman found on a beach in Formentera. According to initial information, the victim may be pregnant, although this remains to be confirmed by the autopsy.

The Constitution will maintain the Castilianized name Ibiza, instead of Eivissa, which is what the Balearic Parliament had requested. The Congress of Deputies has approved this designation in the framework of the debate for Formentera to have its own senator. The proposal originated from a letter from the autonomous Chamber that proposed to give the youngest of the Pitiusa Islands a representative in the Upper Chamber and, in addition, established the designation "Eivissa". However, the PP amended it, stating that, for a "technical" reason, it is appropriate to maintain the toponym in Spanish. The PSOE's abstention allowed it to move forward.

The Congress has endorsed this Thursday the fourth modification of the Constitution of the democracy, and the reform will serve for Formentera to have its own senator. The proposal started from a text from the Balearic Parliament approved unanimously, and has received the majority support of the Lower House, with 312 votes in favor, 33 against, and five abstentions. Vox was the only party that opposed it, because it is against increasing institutional spending. However, this approval is not definitive, as the Senate must ratify it.

In the final hours before the Congress of Deputies vote to decide whether Formentera will have its own senator, there has been unanimous pressure from citizens and organizations on the island in favor of having their own voice. The president of the Formentera Island Council, Óscar Portas, made a "clear and firm" appeal to the parties represented in the Spanish Parliament to support the constitutional reform that would allow the island to have its own senator. The appeal comes on the eve of a vote that Portas himself has described as a "decision of profound democratic significance." According to the island president, this is not a partisan debate, but rather a matter of "institutional responsibility" in the face of a "historic and widely shared" demand by the people of Formentera. In this regard, he warned that "there is no room for abstention" in a vote that, in his opinion, will determine whether the island can be heard "with its own voice" in the Senate. Portas insisted that the proposal has the support of the island's institutions and the Parliament, and appealed for compliance with this political mandate. "We are not asking for a symbolic gesture, but for a fair and consistent decision in the general interest," he asserted. He also rejected the notion that creating a senator for the island is a privilege, defining it instead as a "matter of institutional dignity" and the effective defense of Formentera's interests. Platform of those affected by the coastal delimitation

Meanwhile, the Consell's position has received the support of the Platform of those affected by the coastal delimitation in Formentera, which has also urged the groups in Congress to facilitate the initiative's approval. The organization believes the measure aligns with the Senate's role as a chamber of territorial representation and would allow for the direct addressing of the island's specific needs. The platform emphasizes Formentera's unique character, marked by its island status, size, and isolation—factors that, it argues, justify distinct representation. In this regard, it points out that other territories with similar populations, such as El Hierro, already have their own senator. Both the Council and the platform agree that the vote is a historic opportunity to resolve a long-standing demand. Therefore, they urge the parties to act with foresight and set aside political calculations in a decision that, they assert, directly affects the quality of Formentera's democratic representation within the State.

]]>

The archaeological excavations carried out in the old cemetery of Formentera and the surveys around the Coix quarry, in Els Pujols, have ended without it being possible to locate six victims of the Francoist repression.

]]>

The Civil Guard has confirmed the discovery of two bodies in Formentera in recent days, belonging to men of sub-Saharan origin, likely occupants of a small boat. According to the Civil Guard, as reported to Europa Press, in both cases, private individuals found the bodies and notified them, who then activated the corresponding protocols until their removal. In both cases, the men were wearing life jackets, leading authorities to believe they were occupants of a small boat.

]]>

Juanjo Ferrer was born in Sant Antoni de Portmany, is 55 years old, and is a lawyer. Thanks to a coalition of all the left-wing parties in the Pitiusas Islands, he is the current senator for Ibiza and Formentera; he may be the last, because the process for appointing a senator for Formentera itself—the only Spanish island without this representation in the Senate—has begun as an urgent matter. Progressive and independent, Ferrer advocates for left-wing unity to confront a "very dangerous" moment and criticizes the constant infighting between the PP and the PSOE.

]]>

The PP continues without giving a resounding yes to the proposed law being processed in Congress to amend the Constitution so that Formentera has its own senator. While the left is demanding that the Popular Party take a clear stance, President Marga Prohens insisted this Tuesday that she does not trust the intentions of the PSOE and Sumar, who facilitated their entry into the lower house. "If the PSOE does not distort the law during its passage, Formentera will have a voice in the Senate," she concluded.

]]>

An incident that occurred this past weekend at the Sant Francesc youth center has generated social concern on the island, after several minors were involved in a violent altercation in a space designated for youth recreation. The events have provoked reactions from families, comments on social media, and a statement from the Island Council. According to accounts from some young people present at the center, chairs were thrown during the altercation, and tense moments ensued, requiring the intervention of the facility's staff and the notification of the local police. Some minors claimed to have seen knives, although this has not been confirmed by the police, who are still investigating the incident. The events took place in a space that many families consider safe and a key resource for young people on the island. Following the incident, several parents publicly expressed their concern and demanded explanations and preventative measures to ensure that similar situations do not occur again. The messages disseminated emphasize the need to guarantee safety without singling anyone out based on their origin, appealing to institutional responsibility and adequate supervision of minors. The Formentera Council has acknowledged the concern generated and reiterated that the island has limited resources to provide ongoing care for minors requiring specific support. In this regard, the institution stressed that Formentera lacks certain specialized centers and that it is necessary for other administrations to get involved to provide the island with the appropriate resources. The objective, according to institutional sources, is to preserve coexistence and ensure that public spaces intended for young people are safe. Furthermore, the commitment to bring this situation to the attention of the competent authorities so that Formentera's voice is heard and it receives the necessary resources was reiterated. The events are still under review, and further details regarding the scope of the incident are expected from the authorities.

]]>

The Spanish Congress of Deputies on Tuesday approved a bill to amend the Constitution so that Formentera could have its own senator. The proposal initially had the support of all parties in the Balearic Parliament, except Vox. However, the People's Party (PP) abstained in the congressional vote, while the Socialist Party (PSOE), Sumar, the nationalist parties, and a large part of the mixed group voted in favor. If they do not change their abstention to a "yes" vote when the bill is debated, the residents of Formentera will be left without a senator. The PP has warned that it will vote in favor unless the PSOE introduces "tricks" or "traps" into the final text, and has indicated that for now it has distanced itself from the bill out of "prudence." This was the argument put forward by the PP's spokesperson in the Balearic Parliament, Sebastià Sagreras. "The PP advocates for Formentera to have a senator," he asserted. "We will vote in favor if the PSOE doesn't take advantage of the constitutional reform process to introduce other issues, for example, against the fiscal autonomy of the Balearic Islands," he added. Sagreras made these statements after receiving criticism from the other parties, including Vox, which, despite opposing granting a senator to Formentera, joined the left and criticized the PP for voting in favor in the Balearic Parliament but abstaining in the Congress.

]]>

The Spanish Congress of Deputies will decide this Tuesday whether to approve the initiation of proceedings for a constitutional reform that would grant Formentera its own senator and eliminate its current practice of sharing a constituency with Ibiza in Senate elections. The initiative originates from the Balearic Islands Parliament, which is once again bringing to Madrid a demand that the people of Formentera have been making for years. The proposal seeks to amend Article 69.3 of the Constitution to recognize Formentera as its own electoral constituency in the Senate, as is already the case with other islands in the Balearic archipelago and territories in the Canary Islands. Currently, Ibiza and Formentera jointly elect a single senator, who in this legislature is Juanjo Ferrer, chosen on a unified ticket of progressive forces. This is not the first time the Balearic Parliament has attempted to promote this reform. In three previous legislatures, the initiative reached the Spanish Parliament without success. Now, Congress must decide whether to formally open the constitutional reform process, a step that, if successful, would activate parliamentary debate and allow groups to submit amendments.

]]>

The regulations governing vehicle access to Formentera for next summer remain undefined. The Council of Entities concluded its meeting without reaching an agreement on the Formentera.eco project, after the majority of associations abstained from voting on the two proposals presented by the Ministry of Mobility. The options proposed a gradual reduction of the most polluting vehicles, the distribution of parking permits based on environmental criteria, and maintaining the limit on rental vehicles, already reduced by 16% between 2019 and 2023. They also included measures such as the creation of a specific permit for non-resident workers, public transport, and bicycles. The main difference between the proposals lies in the pace of implementation. Option A advocates for gradual changes and maintains the Category B category for older vehicles, while Option B plans to eliminate parking spaces without an environmental sticker sooner and phase out Category B within two years, while also promoting hybrid and ECO vehicles. In total, 36 associations participated: 21 abstained, nine supported option A, and six supported option B. Given the lack of consensus, the Formentera Council will now begin a dialogue process with social organizations, opposition groups, and the independent councilor to try to reach an agreement.

]]>

Formentera is the smallest inhabited island in the Balearic Islands and also one of the most vulnerable when it comes to maintaining a stable education system. Its triple insularity, the lack of affordable housing, and the pressure of the tourism sector make each start of the school year a race against time to fill teaching positions. The island's schools begin each year uncertain about how many teachers will arrive, how many will stay for the entire academic year, and how many will have to leave before it ends. Many professionals fear being assigned to the island. Finding housing is a real problem, but they always have the option, if possible, of staying in the holiday camp (intended for short stays). For much of the year, Formentera accumulates hundreds of empty homes, owned by people who don't want to rent them out because they want them available in March. It is with the arrival of the tourist season that these homes are put up for holiday rentals, driving prices up to the point of being unaffordable for teachers' salaries. This situation systematically forces teachers out and prevents them from establishing even a minimally stable life project. The consequence is constant turnover, especially of temporary teachers from other islands, who often can (or want to) only stay for one year, or even less.

]]>

The Formentera Council has presented to the Council of Entities a multi-year proposal for the continuity and evolution of Formentera.eco, the initiative of the smaller Pitiusa island to regulate vehicle access during the summer. The proposal aims to gradually reduce the entry of the most polluting vehicles, distribute visitor quotas according to environmental criteria, and maintain the quota of rental vehicles, which have already decreased by 16% from 2019 to 2023This proposal is based on the technical reports submitted to evaluate the operation of the island's ecological initiative, which reveals that more than 74% of the vehicles circulating in Formentera this summer belonged to tourists. The reports confirm the effectiveness of the measures implemented through the Formentera.eco program and should serve as the basis for defining the multi-year proposal to regulate the entry and circulation of vehicles on the island for the period 2026-2029, Castelló explained. The Minister of Mobility and the Environment, Verónica Castelló, explained that they are also considering creating a specific quota for non-resident workers and consolidating a more efficient, organized, and sustainable mobility model, moving towards a seasonal Low Emission Zone (LEZ) and promoting the use of public transport and bicycles.

]]>

The Civil Guard and Maritime Rescue have rescued a total of 115 migrants traveling aboard four boats located between Friday night and Saturday morning in the waters off Formentera, Cabrera, and southern Mallorca. The first intervention took place on Friday at 11:38 p.m., when a boat carrying 26 people of sub-Saharan origin was intercepted off the northwest coast of Cabrera, in southern Mallorca, according to the Government Delegation. This was the first boat located in Mallorca this year and the second in the Balearic Islands, after another boat with 16 occupants was intercepted hours earlier in Formentera. Later that morning, around 2:40 a.m., rescue teams located a boat with 13 people of North African origin half a mile from the La Mola lighthouse, in southern Formentera. Later, at 7:50 a.m., 20 people of North African origin were rescued from another boat south of Formentera. Simultaneously, a fourth operation was carried out southwest of Cape Blanc, in Mallorca, where a group of 29 people of sub-Saharan origin were assisted. The last boat of the day was located at 10:50 a.m., when a group of 27 people of sub-Saharan origin were rescued from a vessel located southeast of Cabrera. According to a count compiled by the EFE news agency from data provided by the Ministry of the Interior and the Government Delegation, six boats carrying a total of 131 people have been located in the Balearic Islands so far this year.

]]>

Formentera could be a subject of study in Political Science textbooks. The smallest of the Pitiusas Islands (the southern Pitiusa, as many Formentera residents prefer to be called) has had its own council for 18 years. On July 10, 2007, with a simple political maneuver, the Formentera Town Hall was magically transformed into the Consell de Formentera, with political power equivalent to that of the other Balearic councils. Jaume Ferrer Ribas, candidate for the Gent per Formentera party, was its first president; Ferrer governed for three terms; Gent per Formentera governed in coalition with the PSOE for another term, in what constitutes one of the greatest demonstrations of political hegemony in the Balearic Islands (2007-2023).

]]>

Twelve environmental groups and marine conservation organizations have expressed their "utmost concern" regarding the proposed expansion of the Freus Marine Reserve in Ibiza and Formentera. The proposal seeks to relax current regulations to allow for greater recreational fishing and increased catches within this protected area. The organizations believe this initiative represents a worrying shift at a time when Europe and Spain are moving towards a commitment to protect 30% of the marine area by 2030, with 10% strictly protected. The signatory organizations affirm their strong support for any progress in the creation or expansion of marine protected areas, but warn that doing so at the expense of lowering their level of protection would be "flagrant and counterproductive." They point out that, since 1999, significant public resources have been allocated to consolidate a network of marine reserves based on scientific criteria, as established by the Balearic Islands Fisheries Law. The proposed amendment to the decree regulating the extraction of marine fauna and flora in reserves is generating "serious concern" among environmental groups. They consider it especially worrying that the regulations for protected waters are being equated with those for waters without any protection status, as well as the elimination of the recreational fishing ban zone in Espardell. They fear this will lead to an increase in recreational fishing effort in the reserve, a scenario that could jeopardize the progress made in species recovery and the survival of the small-scale fishing fleet, already in decline but essential for food sovereignty and the blue economy. The organizations point out that, far from being detrimental, the creation of marine reserves has coexisted with a sharp increase in recreational fishing licenses, which already exceed 45,000 in the Balearic Islands. Therefore, they consider it unjustified to present marine protection as an obstacle to the recreational sector. The proposal recently approved by the PP and Vox parties in the Consell d'Eivissa opens the door to authorizing spearfishing within the reserve, a practice that, they point out, severely affects coastal species and compromises their ecological benefits. This is compounded by the lack of reliable data from the recreational sector, which reports the fewest catches and accumulates the most sanctions for illegal or unlicensed fishing. Environmental groups argue that the political initiative was presented "without technical or scientific support" and departs from the model that has guaranteed the success of the Balearic network of marine reserves. They warn that it could set a dangerous precedent that jeopardizes marine protection throughout the archipelago. Given this scenario, the organizations are demanding an immediate moratorium on any regulatory changes promoted by the Balearic Government at the request of the Consell d'Eivissa and the recreational fishing associations of the Pitiusas Islands. They also call for a participatory process involving all sectors and including the participation of scientific bodies such as CEAB-CSIC, IMEDEA-CSIC, IEO-CSIC, and the public companies IRFAP-Tragsatec, with the aim of ensuring informed decisions supported by scientific evidence. The signatory organizations include Raíces Marinas, Ecologistas en Acción, Fundación Iniciativas del Mediterráneo, Fundación Marilles, Fundación Cleanwave, Fundación por la Conservación de Ibiza y Formentera, Fundación Save the Med, GEN-GOB, GOB Mallorca, GOB Menorca, Greenpeace, and the Port Ramassa Platform.

]]>

School staffing levels are often comprised of nomadic teachers who long to return to their home islands—usually Mallorca. Schools and institutes have more than half their teams made up of temporary staff: young people arriving for their first job, sometimes with no prior experience in education. This is the reality in many schools in Ibiza and Formentera, where instability is the norm and where work is done on a day-to-day basis, with no possibility of planning beyond a single academic year because it's uncertain which teachers will be available or whether they will be committed to the decisions being made. One factor to consider is the impact on students, who have become accustomed to not building strong relationships with their teachers because they know that, perhaps next year—or even in a few months—they will no longer be there. Some teachers resign because they cannot live decently due to the housing problems plaguing the Pitiusas Islands, or they return to their home islands when they can.

]]>