The desire for fun has no age limit. The celebration of an 'horabauxa' is one of the novelties with which the Feria de la Gent Gran (Great People's Fair), organized by the Consell de Mallorca, will close in Porreres on April 25th. It is a festival that in its previous edition in 2025 brought together up to 3,000 people in ses Salines.

The Consell de Mallorca, together with representatives of MÉS por Mallorca, El Pi, Vox and the PP, have signed a joint initiative for to demand that the state government approve a new highway agreement which would allow investment of up to 350 million euros in the island's road infrastructure. The PSOE is the only group not participating in the request.

Mallorca now boasts its first officially approved public climbing walls for regional, national, and international competitions. The Sant Ferran sports center today inaugurated two new facilities—one for speed climbing and one for lead climbing—which will expand the island's climbing offerings, previously primarily limited to private initiatives. The event included an exhibition by elite athlete Erik Noya and a demonstration by young Mallorcan climbers from the Balearic Mountain and Climbing Federation's training program.

"We must put restraint on the table. Now is the time to stop. It's time to set limits." These were the words of the president of the Council of Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, in May 2024 at the press conference where he announced that the island institution would reduce the number of tourist accommodations in Mallorca. The announcement made it clear that the Popular Party admitted the island was saturated and, moreover, it perfectly aligned with the flagship measure that the president still intends to implement, despite being stalled: limiting the entry of vehicles. "The goal is to feel visited, not invaded," proclaimed the former island councilor for Tourism, Marcial Rodríguez, to reinforce Galmés's idea. With just over a year left in his term, the president has still not implemented any measures against saturation. In fact, Galmés's strategy against saturation is clear: make grand announcements while opening new markets to attract more visitors to Mallorca. The Balearic Islands are projected to receive over 19 million tourists in 2025, 13.55 million of whom will visit Mallorca. In this context, the Consell (Island Council) has signed agreements for new routes with airlines such as Etihad, which will operate three weekly direct flights from Palma between Mallorca and Abu Dhabi starting in June. In fact, the capital of the United Arab Emirates is a crucial connection point to Asia. Currently, connecting the Balearic Islands with the Asian continent requires a layover in Frankfurt. "Some people prefer to pay for a direct flight," says Pedro Fiol, president of the Balearic Islands Business Association of Travel Agencies (Aviba).

The three shipping companies The companies that handle freight, passenger, and vehicle traffic in the Balearic Islands (Trasmed, Baleària, and GNV) believe that vehicle restrictions in Mallorca should be implemented "based on rigor, data, and dialogue," according to Baleària's president, Alfonso Utor, who spoke on Thursday after meeting with the Consell de Mallorca (Mallorca Council). He added that the three companies are fully and completely willing to collaborate with the island institution to "find solutions to the island's traffic congestion problems." "We are ready to collaborate with public officials in any way they request," he emphasized.

The governing coalition of the Consell de Mallorca, made up of the PP and Vox parties, is beginning to take steps to fulfill one of its major electoral promises: to allow the hunt on public estates. This Tuesday, the island council conducted a pilot test on the Tossals Verds and Son Fortuny estates with the aim of "evaluating the recovery of hunting activity in these areas," as explained by the council in a statement. The island council assured that "no incidents related to the public use of the estates were detected, and it has been demonstrated that hunting is fully compatible with hiking and other recreational uses." For his part, the vice president of the island council and also the councilor for the Environment, Rural Affairs, and Sports, Pedro Bestard, emphasized that the pilot test "seeks to reintegrate land management with activities that have been part of the rural reality of the estates." He insisted that the initiative "has reflected the successful coexistence between hunting and other recreational uses."

A real estate developer has filed a legal appeal against the decision by the Consell de Mallorca (Island Council of Mallorca) to cancel the call for applications for tourist rental units managed by the Consorcio Bolsa de Alojamientos Turísticos (CBAT). The company has filed the appeal with the Court of First Instance, Administrative Litigation Section No. 1 of Palma, challenging the October resolution that declared it impossible to process the application. According to the Official Gazette of the Balearic Islands (BOIB) published this Tuesday, the CBAT has notified the appeal and has instructed all interested parties, as well as the individuals and entities that had applied for units, to appear before the court within a maximum of nine days. The cancellation of the call for applications occurred after several computer errors prevented the correct processing of applications for tourist rental units. This situation has generated criticism from the sector: the employers' association Habtur described the annulment as "scandalous and unjustified" and questioned why similar problems had not been detected in the management of tourist accommodation units for hotels and listed buildings. The legal appeal now opens a new chapter in the management of tourist rental units in Mallorca, while developers and industry associations continue to demand action. greater transparency and efficiency in the CBAT processes.

Traffic chaos is now part of daily life in Mallorca. And winter and summer are becoming increasingly indistinguishable. The deseasonalization that was so desired for years, along with the progressive purchase of properties by foreigners, has made the difference between high and low season increasingly insignificant: traffic jams are a recurring problem. According to data from the Consell de Mallorca (Mallorca Council), residents own more than 800,000 cars, while 380,000 arrive annually, primarily for tourism. There is a growing consensus on the need to limit vehicle access to Mallorca, as the Pitiusas Islands have done, and the People's Party (PP) in the Consell presented its proposal a year and a half ago. How is it possible that it has not yet been approved?

The Consell de Mallorca has ceded part of the Parc de les Vies, next to the ring road, to the Palma City Council free of charge to locate the future botanical garden of CityThe land ceded has been owned by the island council since 1989 due to a compulsory purchase and, until now, had not been used for any purpose. It measures 13,005 square meters and is bordered by the ring road, the Inca road, the railway tracks, and the Barberà stream. This area of ​​the botanical garden, which will be complemented by another in the Retreat Houses of Bellver CastleThe site will cover 31,543 square meters. The plan is to create a space on the property showcasing examples of the five types of Mediterranean forests found worldwide: those of the Mediterranean basin (typical of southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East), those of California, those of central Chile, and those of southeastern Austria. Furthermore, the City Council intends to equip the plot with various public facilities, such as an auditorium, departments of the Germplasm Bank, a herbarium, exhibition halls, and offices. However, the transfer agreement formalized this Thursday between the two institutions must be approved at the next plenary session of the Consell (Island Council), and, if approved, a public consultation period will be opened. Beyond the land transfer, the Consell de Mallorca will allow the City Council to use the bridge that crosses the ring road.

The Balearic Islands Tourist Accommodation Association (Habtur) is concerned that vehicle restrictions in Mallorca could create "more problems getting to their accommodations" for tourists staying in holiday rentals, according to the association's manager, Maria Gibert. She described Mallorca's public transport network as "deficient." "Tourists staying in agriturismos need a car to get there because they're in a tourist area or staying in a town that doesn't have good public transport access," she emphasized. She added that "depending on the type of measure" proposed in the regulations, "it could benefit large hotel chains because, in a way, it would draw tourists to the big hotels and would also harm complementary services." In this regard, she explained that "a large hotel can charter a bus to the premises" because "it's in their interest for tourists to spend money there and not go out to eat at a restaurant."

The Paco de Lucía Mallorca Festival, in collaboration with the Paco de Lucía Foundation, has announced the opening of applications for the 3rd Young Talents Grant, a program created to promote emerging artists born or residing in the Balearic Islands and support their international careers. In 2026, to mark the festival's 5th anniversary, the grant is being offered as a special scholarship dedicated to dance, understood from a broad, contemporary, and interdisciplinary perspective, always in dialogue with flamenco, its language, aesthetics, and innovative spirit. The recipient will attend the Commercial Dance Intensive (CDI) at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, an intensive program focused on the technical, artistic, and professional development of dancers in an international environment. The grant covers tuition, round-trip travel, accommodation, meals, and a certificate of completion. The course will take place from July 6 to 25, 2026. Young performers and creators aged 15 to 25, born or residing in the Balearic Islands, with a solid artistic development and clear potential for growth, who are developing proposals related to dance, are eligible to apply for the scholarship. The application period will be open from January 13, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. to February 19, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. The decision will be announced within a maximum of 10 days after the application deadline. Application materials must be sent to the festival director, Soledad Bescós, by email. The complete terms and conditions of the call for applications are available on the festival's website (https://festivalpacodeluciamallorca.com/beca-joves-talents/) and also via the link in the bio of the official Paco de Lucía Mallorca Festival Instagram profile.

A temporary civil servant with the Consell de Mallorca (Island Council of Mallorca) has filed a criminal complaint in the Palma courts against several officials of the island institution and against the company Quirón, whom she accuses of alleged crimes of administrative misconduct and disclosure of secrets within the framework of a disciplinary proceeding opened against her for a supposed conflict of interest. The complaint is directed against Quirón's legal representative, the company itself, the island director of Public Service, the technical secretary of the Presidency – who acted as the investigating officer in the disciplinary proceedings – and the Consell de Mallorca as a legal entity. According to the document, the events date back to April 2024, when the Council initiated disciplinary proceedings against the civil servant, head of the Sports Medicine Service, for alleged breaches of working hours and for simultaneously providing services to both the Council and Quirón without having requested authorization. The plaintiff maintains that the proceedings are arbitrary and selective, alleging that other professionals in the same field have faced similar situations without being sanctioned. One of the central points of the complaint is how, during the investigation, the Administration allegedly obtained specially protected data without consent, such as the employee's work history report and social security contribution record, through the General Treasury of Social Security. The defense argues that this action not only violates data protection regulations but could also have criminal implications. The complaint also alleges the transfer of personal information to Quirón without the affected party's authorization or legal basis. This information allegedly includes a report from a private investigator hired by the Council itself to monitor the civil servant. According to the complaint, the data in this report was used by Quirón to justify the employee's dismissal, and the dismissal letter, according to the defense, reproduces details of the surveillance verbatim.

Another voice has joined the chorus of criticism regarding the changes to the syllabus for the call for applications for a position as an Artistic Heritage Technician at the Consell de Mallorca (Island Council of Mallorca). After The letter addressed to the island institution, signed by the rector of the UIB, Jaume CarotAfter demanding that specific training in art history be a requirement for the position, the Spanish Committee of Art Historians (CEHA) has now questioned the changes made to the syllabus for this post compared to previous calls for applications. "We wish to publicly express our deep concern and firm disagreement with the approach taken in this call for applications," stated sources from the organization, founded in 1977, adding, regarding the approved syllabus: "It has almost entirely relegated the content specific to our discipline and replaced it with a predominantly focused program." In the same statement, CEHA sources emphasized that "it is especially serious that a position intended to oversee the protection of movable property, painting and sculpture collections, and cultural assets of an artistic nature should disregard the knowledge necessary for their correct identification, interpretation, and historical assessment." Among others, topics such as 'Pre-Talayotic Culture in Mallorca through Archaeological Remains' and 'Mallorcan Gothic Painting' have disappeared, replaced by legal and administrative issues such as 'The Role of UNESCO and Advisory Bodies' and 'Unique Aspects of the Awarding Process'.

The Consell de Mallorca has approved the 2026 budget with the support of the PP and Vox parties and the opposition of MÁS per Mallorca, El Pi, and the PSIB. The budget approved this Tuesday does not include the 50 million euros (5 million euros spread over 10 years) that the Balearic Government must provide to the Consell de Mallorca to compensate for the additional costs of transferring waste from Ibiza. Upon initial approval of the budgetsSources from the island institution explained to ARA Baleares that this figure had not been included in the accounts because the import of manure "did not have legal cover" to be carried out. Since the beginning of December, the import of waste from Ibiza has enjoyed legal cover, since The Executive approved the decree that allows it.But this has not led the island council to include that item in the final approved budget. However, the council president celebrated that the budget "was approved on time and in the proper manner," which, in his opinion, is proof of a "stable and efficient" government. Along the same lines, he celebrated that it is "the highest in the history of the island council" and emphasized that six out of every ten euros are allocated to social policies. The council's accounts total 761.7 million euros, 66.2 million euros more than in 2015. The councilor for Finance, Innovation, and Public Service, Rafel Bosch, highlighted the 132.7 million euros earmarked for achieving safer and more sustainable mobility, the 70 million euros allocated to other projects, and other items.

Guillem Ginard will most likely replace Marcial Rodríguez as head of the Tourism Department of the Consell de Mallorca. The change comes after a turbulent period in the department, marked by repeated problems in the management of the tourist accommodation system, which has failed in recent attempts at allocation and distribution, creating a sense of incompetence within the department and significant frustration within Llorenç Galmés's governing team. Furthermore, Marcial Rodríguez had been involved in major clashes with tourism inspection staff, which have eroded his political standing. The current head of the department, one of the most important in the Consell due to the scope of its responsibilities, was even singled out by public employees for clashes and pressures.

The spokesperson for the PSIB (Socialist Party of the Balearic Islands) in the Consell de Mallorca (Island Council of Mallorca), Catalina Cladera, denounced this Monday that the institution's budget, which is scheduled to be approved this Tuesday, "is short at least 45 million euros," and therefore she believes the accounts present "a risk of non-compliance and blocked budget items." Along the same lines, the Socialist spokesperson opined that the Consell de Mallorca's budget "is tinged with xenophobia," that it "attacks the local language," and that it "does not solve the problems of the people of Mallorca."

The Consell de Mallorca (Island Council of Mallorca) has introduced a profound change to the syllabus for the competitive examinations for the position of Senior Technician in Artistic Heritage, abandoning a model focused almost exclusively on art history and opting for a more technical, legal, and administrative profile, closer to other professional profiles such as architect. This shift has generated a debate that has reached the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), which has expressed firm opposition and asked the island institution to rectify it. In a letter from its rector, Jaume Carot, the university denounces that the new model "creates a serious and worrying situation that, from an academic and professional point of view, could be detrimental to the proper assessment and conservation of Mallorca's historical and artistic heritage." The UIB demands the reversal of the current syllabus and the reinstatement of the requirements from previous calls for applications, limiting access to the position exclusively to graduates in Art History, as is the case with other specific profiles within the Administration. Carot adds that the current syllabus discriminates against art historians, limiting both their access to permanent positions and their chances of securing relevant roles within the pool of substitute teachers.

The Palma I vehicle inspection station, located in the Son Castelló industrial park, will be closed for three months to carry out urgent roof repairs. The work was initially scheduled to begin on the 19th, but has been moved forward to the 18th. As a result, approximately 60 vehicle inspection appointments have been rescheduled and rescheduled to other stations. However, the inspection station offices will reopen on January 7th and will provide information and customer service throughout the construction period. The inspection lanes will be reassigned to other stations to reinforce the staff at the remaining centers and ensure that no vehicle is left uninspected. The repairs, which will cost around €320,000, are an initiative of the Department of Finance and Public Administration of the Consell de Mallorca (Island Council of Mallorca). Over the next three months, the entire roof of the building, which has suffered from leaks and dripping water, will be replaced. Furthermore, the roof is made of fiber cement and contains traces of asbestos, so it has been decided to replace it with a new sheet metal roof. This will allow for the installation of a safer material, especially when carrying out repairs, a time when there could be a risk. In fact, the old roof will be removed with great care, and no workers will be present at the center until January 7th to avoid contact with traces of asbestos.

Catalan has practically disappeared from the signs at the headquarters of the Consell de Mallorca (Island Council of Mallorca). This was denounced by Joan Llodrà, a councilor for MÉS per Mallorca, this Thursday during the plenary session of the Consell, where he criticized the island institution for replacing some of the interior Catalan signage in the main building with signs in Spanish and even English. The party explained in a statement that the changes were made "selectively": while signs like 'extinguisher' (fire extinguisher) – which are the same in both Catalan and Spanish – remained unchanged, signs like 'exit' were simply replaced with 'exit'. Therefore, Llodrà denounced the use of public funds for this initiative. "We thought it might be a joke, but these signs have been on the upper floors of the building for almost two months now, and we believe it's wise to rectify this."