Viewpoint: Mallorca v Madrid

While for the time being Spain’s block on nonessential travel from third party countries - UK included - remains in place until the end of this month - the biggest disappointment has been the failure for Spain to have been listed green on Boris Johnson’s traffic light.

While some parts of the media blamed the UK, here in the Balearics the local government understands why. Senior ministers have said that, right from the start, London was going to look at sovereign countries and not the air corridors everyone had been getting so excited about.

Air corridors are back on the table, the Canary Islands are leading the push with support from the Balearics, Covid incidence rates certainly warrant travel being allowed, while vaccinations levels perhaps don’t.

Nevertheless, as far as the Balearics is concerned, and it has shouted it from the roof tops, the regional government of Madrid is to blame for Spain having not been green listed.

Isabel Díaz Ayuso may have won a resounding victory for the PP in the recent Madrid elections but her slack handling of the pandemic is going to be questioned and the fact that Madrid’s case and intensive care numbers remain in the red - that is why Spain is amber.
I wonder if Armengol and Ayuso will meet for a beer!