Munar makes tough anti immigration speech

Maria Antonia Munar, the president of the Council of Majorca, took a tough stance on immigration in her Majorca Day speech, delivered yesterday in the courtyard of the La Misericordia cultural centre. She said that it was necessary to set limits on the uncontrolled arrival of immigrants. “Quality of life is contradictory with an open doors policy for all those who want to come and live in Majorca,” she claimed. The immigration policy took up most of the speech, which also touched on the achievements made during the current legislature. But, harking back to immigration, she stressed that the historical disposition of Majorcans to welcome everyone should not be allowed in the long term “to destroy everything for which we have fought so hard for,” and to “pull down the edifice which it has cost us so much to construct.” Munar claimed that her posture was not incompatible with solidarity, and she said that she was in favour of continuing to accept immigrants “who do not endanger” the objectives of economic growth, and “do not wish to impose their customs and their cultural standards because they endanger ours.” In her opinion, the moment has arrived to set limits and to decide “to what extent we are prepared to sacrifice part of our quality of life in order to maintain the doors open so that all those who wish to can settle in Majorca.” Munar called on all the political parties to try to reach agreement on this point. But, she expressed a conviction that this desire could be truncated by the “excessive respect” of some political parties to directives from outside, and for the “lack of responsibility” of those who seek electoral returns by “selling contradictions.” Munar spoke not only of putting the brakes on unchecked immigration, but also to the contradictory policies defended by some parties. In her opinion, it is contradictory to demand quality tourism but at the same time to be opposed to the construction of amenities essential to attract it, such as safer roads, golf courses and more berths in some marinas. She also described as contradictory the defence of zero growth without producing more unemployment and declassifying land and limiting construction without provoking an increase in the price of housing. “Asking for these postures simultaneously and presenting them as possible is deceiving the voter,” she concluded. In addition to her tough stance on immigration, Munar also took advantage of the occasion to review the legislature, as yesterday was the last Majorca Day before next year's elections. She said that the balance was positive, thanks to the law on Councils which led to considerable improvements in management. This included better financial management, policies on planning, repairs or improvements to more than 100 kilometres of roads, the new plan for rubbish disposal, policies for helping pensioners and an increase in aid to town and village councils.