Antich calls for more police in Balearics

Balearic leader Francesc Antich has written to the central minister of the interior, Mariano Rajoy, expressing his concern at the increase in citizen insecurity in the Balearics, which “reduces the quality of life of residents” and “is damaging the image of the islands.” According to a government communique, Antich has asked Rajoy for a meeting to discuss this matter. In the letter, Antich says that in accordance with ministry figures, the number of crimes in the Balearics rose by nearly 39 per cent, compared to an average of ten per cent for the rest of Spain. He goes on to say that in a tourist community, citizen security is one of the essencial values in the offer. He points out that the Balearics have a population of 760'000 inhabitants and welcome more than ten million tourists a year. But, he says, there has been a reduction in the number of police posted to the islands.