Letters to the Editor

Dear Sir,


It seems to me that asking property owners to declare their private rental income, before they know if it’s actually illegal to let in the first place, is putting the cart before the horse. If renters are soon to be told that the activity is illegal why would they declare their activity now?

Steve
, Palmanova

Euro prices in other countries


Dear Sir,


An interesting article in the UK Press today (08/04/16).
 Euro prices in Cyprus (Limassol) have been reduced by 7%. 
Euro prices in Bulgaria (Sunny Beach) have been reduced by 9%.
 Euro prices in the Algarve have been reduced by 5%.
 The reductions are as a direct result of the falling Euro exchange rate (current cash rate 1.18 to the pound).


Majorca, in contrast to these reductions, is imposing a tourist tax with a further IVA tax on top of the tourist tax. 
It will be interesting to observe the effects of these applied taxes and of a possible BREXIT in the UK, plus the aforementioned price reductions, on Majorca’s tourism revenues.


F. S. Jessop, 
Sa Coma (Ghost Town)

Brexit

Dear Sir,


Once a month I have lunch with some business colleagues - all expats. At our last meeting I was surprised that there was more discussion over the dangers of a Donald Thump presidency than a BREXIT. 
Over the latter the general opinion was that if we have had our status here legalised then pensions, health, banking etc., should continue unchanged if we leave the EU.

Newcomers, or people who have not bothered with their documentation, risk having problems with work permits, opening bank accounts, the local NHS etc.

My comment, that those of us here ten years+ and speaking some Spanish, can opt for the get-out-of-jail card - a Spanish passport - did not attract any acclaim; in fact just the opposite!


Thursday’s MDB poll also surprised me in that it appears that more Bulletin readers want to leave the EU than stay (48% to 47%) whereas in the UK it is reversed with slightly more for in than out. I would have expected the exactly the opposite in that many of your readers having opted to live in Spain would be more pro Europe than anti. 


Mike Lillico, 
Playa de Palma