Mentink concern for Foreign department after government debacle

29/05/2007 00:00

By Humphrey Carter THE results of the local elections have caused Calvia's British Councillor for Tourism and Foreign Affairs some concern. Kate Mentink, while yesterday describing the Partido Popular's majority win in Calvia as brilliant, admitted that, now that the Partido Popular has lost its majority in government, the future of the newly formed European Citizens Department at government level could be in doubt. I know there are some minority parties which do not particularly like the idea, she said yesterday. While the department's future in Calvia is rock solid, as I said in the early hours of yesterday morning we have ambitious plans, at government level, we are going to have to wait and see which pact takes over and then, if needs be, start negotiations and I will not be part of that process, she said.

Mentink has dedicated years of hard work in establishing the European Citizens Department at municipal and government level and has championed the right for European Union residents to vote in the local elections. Mentink yesterday paid tribute to the foreign residents who have been out campaigning for the Partido Popular over the past few months. Many did not merely come out and vote but were in fact a very important part of the election campaign, helping to devise the programme and how best it should be presented, she said. The European vote paid an important part in us winning the abosolute majority, she added. Now we have to wait and see which party or parties take control of the government and the Council of Majorca, she said.