None of the residents of the former Palma prison have left the building

PalmNone of the people residing in theformer Palma prison ha voluntarily abandoned the property At this time. This was pointed out on Wednesday by the spokesperson for Cort, Mercedes Celeste, when asked about it at the press conference following the municipal government meeting. For now, the number of people who have been notified of the eviction remains at around 170, the same as a week ago. "We continue to inform those who have not yet been notified, but we have no record of anyone saying they want to leave voluntarily," the councilwoman said.

Celeste also failed to clarify how many of those who have been notified have decided to file appeals. The City Council's plan, according to municipal sources, is to wait until everyone has been notified before addressing all the appeals simultaneously. "Depending on whether or not those who must leave prison cooperate, this process can be faster or slower. We will meet the deadlines, and the administrative actions will be slow but steady. It will take as long as it takes, but the objective is set, and there's no turning back," she emphasized. The spokesperson for the governing team, despite questions from journalists, also did not specify whether any of the institutions or social organizations they have requested assistance from have provided any support. residential resource for the people who will be evicted fromformer prison"We remain in contact and extend a hand to all entities and administrations. It is a complex task that the City Council is undertaking with open arms. When there is any progress, it will be communicated," he simply stated.

While the process of recovering possession of the property continues, the councilwoman warned that incidents inside the building are also ongoing. Last night, a small fire broke out, which was quickly extinguished by the Palma Fire Department, and during the day, the Local Police intervened in a fight between two residents. "We must appeal to all those who are encouraging people to stay there, because they are putting these vulnerable people at risk, and they need to be protected," she stated. A demonstration is planned for next Friday at the gates of the former prison, organized by nearly fifty groups, to protest the way the eviction process is being carried out. Celeste criticized them, calling these kinds of actions "irresponsible."

"It is enough to label as squatters those who are homeless due to the housing crisis"

For her part, Lucía Muñoz, a councilor for Podemos in the Palma City Council, has accused the President of the Balearic Government, Marga Prohens, of "criminalizing poverty" by supporting the eviction of people living in the old Palma prison. "It's enough to call homeless people squatters. It's enough to criminalize poverty with the sole aim of dehumanizing those who suffer the consequences of a housing crisis that this government has been incapable of addressing," Muñoz criticized this Wednesday in front of the old prison. For the councilor, the President's statements on the matter this Tuesday in the plenary session were "repugnant and infamous." "We invite Ms. Prohens to come here and tell them to their faces, if she isn't ashamed, that their president intends to throw them out onto the street without offering them any alternative," she said, while adding that "it's very easy to evict the old prison from the luxurious carpet of the Parliament."

Podemos also rejected the accusations made by the head of the regional government regarding the party's role in this situation. According to the party, Podemos is not advocating for these individuals to remain in prison, but rather that the regional government "cannot simply throw them out onto the street without any alternative." In this regard, Podemos demanded the immediate suspension of the eviction, the implementation of measures to reduce security risks in the building, and, above all, the establishment of "real and lasting" solutions to the housing problem. According to the political group, the current situation is a "direct consequence" of the "criminal" housing policies promoted by the PP and Vox parties. In their view, it is necessary to immediately cap rental prices and reclaim vacant properties held by large landlords. As Muñoz pointed out, there are properties registered for 19 years now. "They have the tools to expropriate these properties and allocate them to social housing while they intend to evict more than 200 people who have nowhere to live," Muñoz criticized. Finally, the councilwoman called on civil society and all those affected by the housing crisis to attend the rally scheduled for this Friday at 7:00 p.m.

More than 70 tons of waste removed

Palma City Council has removed 71.5 tons of waste from the former prison in an intensive three-day cleanup operation, aimed at ensuring the safety of residents and emergency services due to the high risk of fire and the unsanitary conditions of the site. The operation involved nine workers, several trucks, and heavy machinery, and was complemented by the installation of outdoor containers which, so far, remain empty.

Meanwhile, the administration is calling on social organizations to collaborate in finding solutions for the residents, reiterating that the municipal actions are not based on discrimination or criminalization, but rather on security criteria. Since the beginning of the legislative term, the Local Police and Fire Department have had to carry out more than 300 interventions at the center to control incidents inside and outside the premises, including rescues, extinguishing fires, and access control.