Tag Archives: Politics

Dangerous land

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The theory of no man’s land began as a somewhat rudimentary slogan, but it soon took root because of the usefulness it could offer at particular moments. Circumstances condition many things. When more developed societies carried out the occupation of other territories, it was necessary to dress it up with justification.

The strategy was to argue that no one was using that land. Without ploughing or sowing, it seemed abandoned. It was not difficult to spread the idea of lands that held no interest for those who had arrived previously. A line of reasoning that was very successful, to the misfortune of those who were already living there.

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Roofless progress

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The Roman Empire had one of its main ports at the mouth of the Tiber River. Intense trade and the movement of people generated an important settlement near the capital. But everything went into decline when rainfall began to bring in large quantities of sediment.

It had always rained. But the enormous deforestation carried out in nearby forests to extract firewood resulted in unprecedented erosion. The port filled with earth and ships could no longer operate. Ignoring limits ended up sinking a prosperous economy.

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The Agenda Game

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Despite all the countless declarations of love for the land, there are still initiatives in Menorca’s rural areas that consistently seek maximum real estate returns, at the risk of significantly altering the island’s territorial reality.

A territory that, we were told, had captivated developers precisely because it was well-preserved. Yet influential figures keep pushing limits, even when projects would be profitable with fewer interventions, or when investors already have ample financial capacity.

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Hegemony of simulation

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The fish moves gently from side to side. It looks like a small fish or a larva, slowly drifting with undulating movements. Many eyes watch it with interest. But in this world, not everything is what it seems, and reality can change as quickly as a spasm.

When discourses are repeatedly adorned with references to economic dynamisation, progress, security… even freedom or sustainability, one must be careful not to fall into a trap similar to the one used by the anglerfish to feed.

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The European Opinion and the paradox of the Balearic Islands as a benchmark for sustainable tourism

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The Balearic Islands are territories heavily strained by tourist saturation. Menorca, which had been the island most shielded from this dynamic, has again broken records in the number of annual tourists (exceeding 1.7 million). Meanwhile, public money continues to be invested in tourism promotion, and there is no news of any limitation on tourist vehicles for the coming summer.

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Over one hundred personalities and professionals from the fields of archaeology and landscape warn the Island Council of Menorca of the serious mistake of ignoring UNESCO

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More than one hundred people related to cultural heritage and its management from across the State — including professors, PhDs, members of ICOMOS, landscape experts, geographers, architects and museum directors — have signed a statement asking the Island Council of Menorca to halt a project that affects an area declared World Heritage.

This controversy arises from the intention to build a two-level roundabout at the Rafal Rubí junction, in the eastern part of the island and next to an archaeological site where, in 2013, work began but was halted due to the withdrawal of the contract. During this time, Menorca applied to be declared World Heritage because of its valuable Talayotic legacy, and UNESCO already requested that the half-built junction be removed because it constituted a very significant alteration of the landscape of one of the protected areas included in the candidacy. This request was explicitly repeated when Menorca received the World Heritage designation in September 2023.

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Citizen counterpower

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Today’s political and social debate is increasingly conditioned by polarization. The unrestrained leader of the Western bloc is setting an example with exaggerations and lies. His style has reached our lands.

The new strategy is to place all opinions into only two opposing blocs, in order to try to gain legitimacy among usual followers. At this point, inventing things to feed conspiracy theories poses no problem.

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The Constitutional Court admits the appeal against the law intended to allow construction on rural land

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The Plenary of the Constitutional Court has decided to admit the appeal lodged against the Balearic law that regulates the so-called “strategic residential projects.” This action has been promoted by different civic entities and has the formal support of more than fifty members of parliament from the Socialist, Sumar/Més and Mixed (Podem) groups, along with the involvement and work of their respective legal teams.

The Balearic Parliament approved Law 4/2025, known as the law on strategic residential projects, which allows the construction of houses on rural land without previous service provision in municipalities with more than 20,000 inhabitants, as well as on urban and developable land in municipalities with more than 10,000 inhabitants.

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Summoning the sharks

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The evening was falling over the dark rocks of the north when the shoreline fishermen approached. A thick fishing line wound around a piece of cork, with a sizable hook, was the system used to try to catch moray eels and conger eels—sea predators that, in those years of scarcity, served to make fish soup.

To increase the chances of catching something, besides casting the baited hook in a suitable place and tying the line firmly to the ground, they also poured into the sea a liquid filled with blood and fish remains. Species that live by preying on others have keen senses to detect where there may be potential food—such as a wounded prey.

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The Rural Land Consortium and the pending information

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GOB is an organisation that receives many citizen reports related to environmental issues. The association’s 48 years of continuous work help explain why many people prefer to speak with GOB rather than with the public administration.

When these reports refer to environmental alterations or damage, the facts are verified and detailed information is sent to the competent administration. The level of activity varies depending on what is happening in the territory. When there are major operations in forest areas, many reports are received on that matter. When there is no surveillance of fishing, reports come in about illegal fishing, and so on.

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