Tag Archives: Politics

The GOB withdraws from the Sustainability Pact due to the Government’s regressive policies

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Rewarding illegal construction in rural areas or allowing building in high-risk zones represents a major setback in land-use policies. Such measures undermine the critical discussions needed to decide the Balearic Islands’ development model.

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9 extra pools at another rural tourism establishment in Alaior

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Another case has been confirmed involving a rural tourism establishment that, in this instance, has built nine additional pools not included in its approved project. Similar to the well-known Torre Vella case, the authorization had been previously reviewed by the Environmental Commission.

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Inopportunity cost

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When faced with several options, we often weigh the pros and cons of each. That is, we consider what we gain by choosing a certain option versus what we lose by rejecting another. Economists call this the opportunity cost.

Sometimes, this calculation is simple and obvious. But other times, it involves more complex factors—like when short-term benefits contradict long-term consequences or when personal gains come at the expense of others or the environment.

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Illegal and recurrent tourist rentals

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A case of illegal and recurrent tourist rental activity on rural land raises doubts about the effectiveness of current penalties for unauthorized activities of this kind.

This example highlights the need to reflect on the issue of excessive tourism pressure in Menorca. It is becoming clear that strengthening inspections alone will not suffice if the penalties imposed are not significant enough to deter offenders.
More rentals mean more tourism congestion

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The government proposes further unacceptable environmental rollbacks

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It seems like the Balearic Government is obsessed with rewarding environmental offenders. The draft law up for discussion in Parliament tomorrow includes new and alarming environmental rollbacks.

Some of the proposed changes from PP-Vox include putting the definition of “general interest” into the hands of each Island Council, making it easier to renovate buildings outside of zoning regulations, and allowing building violations on rural land to be left unpunished after a certain period.

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Rewarding Illegal Pools?

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The Alaior Town Council has granted a license to legalize the pools at the Torre Vella agrotourism site, ignoring the warning from the former Environmental Commission, which argued that environmental violations cannot be retroactively legalized.

Decree Law 3/2024, introduced by the Council last May under the guise of “administrative simplification,” actually modifies over 50 regulations. Among the most controversial changes are the lifting of bans on construction in flood-prone areas and the dissolution of the Environmental Commission. We are now starting to see the results of these changes.

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Offshore wind energy in Northern Menorca

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In February 2023, Spain approved the Maritime Spatial Plans (MSP) to regulate various marine activities across the country, including renewable energy installations. These plans designated two areas north of Menorca (LEBA 2 and LEBA 3) as the only spaces in the Balearic Islands where offshore wind projects could be developed.

This year, a French company introduced the “Gregal Offshore Wind Project,” planned for the LEBA 2 area. GOB Menorca has sent a report to the Ministry of Ecological Transition with several considerations.

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Water in Maó: opening more windows

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Commenting on a sensitive topic always has its risks, yet advancing environmental issues has never been easy.

For weeks, there has been an ongoing discussion about the water crisis in Maó, stemming from the failure to notify citizens when an excess of nitrates was detected in the municipal water supply. The political cost of this incident is clear, with resignations, an extraordinary council meeting, and the launch of further investigations. Many are watching closely.

For these reasons, the GOB waited a few days before discussing the broader consequences of this water crisis: the economic, environmental, and social uncertainties it brings.

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