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A new legislative amendment has been presented by the Partido Popular proposing changes to the Law on the Conservation of Environmentally Relevant Areas of the Balearic Islands (LECO). With the amendment to Article 52, deliberate fires of arboreal forest mass inside protected natural areas would no longer be considered an infringement.
As will be recalled, a few days ago the GOB made public parliamentary initiatives by the same political group to allow hunting on islets and other sites of high natural value. Now, some additional measures of particular gravity are being added. Eliminating or reducing sanctions for those who intentionally burn protected forests implies conveying to public opinion a highly dangerous sense of impunity.
Reducing citizen participation
The LECO regulates uses in areas such as Natural Parks or the Natura 2000 Network. The reductions now being processed, in addition to encouraging alarming conduct, also propose changes to reduce citizen participation during public consultation procedures. For example, the modification of planning instruments for these areas would be reduced to 20 calendar days.
That is to say, Saturdays and Sundays are included, which in reality are not working days for the public administration. Between people becoming aware that the notice has been published in the official gazette, being able to consult the documentation and drafting submissions, there will practically be no material time to make participation effective.
These modifications are presented as measures to streamline bureaucracy, but in reality they are a cutback in public transparency, which often hides other intentions.
The Omnibus Law, a means to dismantle land protection
These types of amendments are being presented by the governing party to a Decree promoted by the Government itself, entitled Urgent measures to accelerate strategic projects that contribute to the economic transformation of the Balearic Islands.
It is planned that the Omnibus Law will amend more than 40 existing legal texts, which may be many more if amendments continue to be presented to other regulations. Last week it was proposed to amend the Menorca Biosphere Reserve Law to allow hunting in places of high natural value. Today, all sanctions are eliminated for those who start fires in protected areas, including those who intentionally burn forests. We may find ourselves in a situation where conduct is classified as a criminal offence under the Criminal Code, but does not merit even an administrative sanction. Truly incomprehensible. The Islands are experiencing a period of high tourism pressure, while the Government devotes efforts to further deprotecting island territories and undermining territorial safeguards. These are times to seek information and to take part in the protest actions that arise.