The Council of Mallorca approves the limitation of cars on the island
Vox abstained in the plenary session to which Llorenç Galmés arrived late due to traffic jams
PalmaThe Consell de Mallorca approved this Friday in an extraordinary plenary session the law to limit vehicles on the island, which after this step will be sent to Parliament. Curiously, the plenary session was on the verge of being cancelled because the president of the island institution, Llorenç Galmés, arrived almost half an hour late. The reason? He had to arrive in Palma from Manacor and found traffic jams due to "three accidents", as he himself explained.
The insular minister of Territory, Mobility and Infrastructure, Fernando Rubio, detailed the work done during the three years the PP has been in charge of the Consell and pointed out that the norm will go directly to Parliament after this Friday's approval. The limitation went ahead thanks to the votes in favor of the PP, the PSIB, MÉS per Mallorca and El Pi, and the abstention of Vox. In fact, the PSIB and Vox changed the direction of their vote, because the far-right voted against it in committee and the PSIB abstained. Rubio also assured that the norm will be immediately applicable once approved in Parliament and that there will be no need to wait for the development of the regulation.
"The law arises from broad political and social consensus. We have met with all political groups, institutions, the Directorate General of Traffic, the Port Authority, entities, employers' associations and organizations. Working hand in hand with the affected sector is a priority," argued Rubio. "We have prepared ourselves to create an administrative structure and apply the law from the first minute," said the minister, in addition to announcing another load study to have updated information to set a vehicle limit. "When the law comes into force, the ordinance will be ready," he committed.
The norm includes fees for the entry and stay of vehicles, which will be charged by the shipping companies. Fines will range from 300 to 30,000 euros. The vehicle limitation will be applied in the periods of time necessary and temporary workers will be exempt, as the Consell rectified.
The left criticizes that the norm arrives late
On the left, the spokesperson for MÉS per Mallorca, Catalina Inès Perelló, has criticized that this measure arrives very late and that this will be the third tourist season without applying any limitation to vehicle entry. "Automotive pressure is one of the clearest expressions of collapse," she remarked, in addition to questioning whether the rule can be applied next summer.
The spokesperson for the PSOE, Catalina Cladera, who has received criticism from the PP for not wanting to move forward with the limitation or conduct a load study last term, has assured that Mallorca "cannot wait another day." Furthermore, Cladera has proposed that the Government approve the limitation by decree-law to speed things up, an initiative that the PP has rejected.
As for the right-wing parties, the spokesperson for El Pi, Antoni Salas, has joined the criticism for the three-year wait for this regulation and has lamented that the Consell de Mallorca is submitting to the demands of large car rental companies. On the other hand, the spokesperson for Vox, Toni Gili, has called for structural measures, "beyond restrictions and sanctions".