Confident that environment law will be approved today

DEPUTY leader Pere Sampol, who is chairman of the PSM (Majorcan Socialist Party) in parliament, described parliamentary activity during this legislature as “extraordinary” and “frenetic,”, with a positive balance, although it had failed to define the model of development for Majorca. Speaking at a Press conference, he expressed his confidence that the law on environmental impact will be approved at the last plenary session of this legislature today, even though the UM (Majorcan Union) had not said how it would vote. But Antoni Alorda, the PSM spokesman, said that it was “practically impossible” for the development plan for Majorca to be approved. “Those who defend marinas, golf courses and motorways should say so clearly and present sincere electoral programmes so that people can decide,” Sampol said, a reference to the UM, which is one of the PSM's partners in the ruling coalition. He added that the two oustanding problems on the island were the devlepment plan and the law on building quotas, and in this respect, the PSM was not satisfied. But, he denied accusations from the environment group GOB, which says that nothing has been done to protect the island. He pointed out that in the first year of the coalition, protection had been afforded to the areas of Cap des Pinar, Alcanada, Es Canons de Artà and S'Almudaina of Andratx in Majorca as well as Ses Salines in Ibiza and Formentera. He added that this parliament has approved 55 bills, some of them of great importance, such as the transfer of responsibility for roads, social welfare and planning, the creation of the Women's Institute, and the approval of the laws on museums and the heritage.