Car hire firms give ultimatum to Palma Council

News desk THE Association of Car Hire companies on Majorca yesterday gave Palma City Council up until 15 April to fulfil their commitment to closing rival companies in the sector who continue to operate illegally in Palma. The president of the Association, Ramón Reus, explained that his members were prepared to take out legal proceedings against the Council for prevarication if they failed to take a stand and stop “black market” trading by the “rent-a-car” companies who park their fleets of vehicles on rural ground, and as such, are escaping payment of municipal taxes which are forced on bona fide organisations. Reus is complaining that the 15'000 vehicles that City Hall should have prevented from being unloaded from cargo ships arriving from the Peninsula, are already lined up, ready and waiting for contracts at Son Fangos. “So far, the City Council have only fulfilled part of their commitment by enforcing the closure of 18 of these illegal organisations, but a further 8 companies operating illegally remain to be impounded”, he said. The bona fide car hire organisations believe that letting their “outlaw” rivals operate without paying appropriate taxes on unauthorised ground is tantamount to condoning unfair competition. This “pirate” activity they claim is allowed to continue because the Council have failed to act. “If the Council wants to deceive us, we'll meet in court”, declared Reus.