Opposition replies to Matas´s state of the Balearics speech

THE parliamentary debate on the state of the Balearics continued yesterday, with the political parties replying to the speech made yesterday by Balearic leader Jaume Matas, who said that after three years of Partido Popular (PP) rule, the region had dragged itself out of economic crisis. But yesterday, Miquel Nadal, spokesman of the Majorcan Unionist (UM) party, warned that the pact between UM and PP “is not a blank cheque, nor a lifelong contract.” He also said it was regrettable that there had been “excesses” which have “dangerously separated” the PP from the centre. He said that the pact had “given good results” and described the past three years as a period of “light and shadows.” He referred to some commitments which had not been carried out, and lack of agreement on controversial topics such as road, accusing the PP of imposing its posture and building up debts. Miquel Rossello, speaking for the United Left-Greens (EU-EV) said it had been “a lost legislature” for the Balearics, accusing the government of promoting an “unsustainable” economic and social model which has plunged the islands into debt and only benefits a few. Joana Luisa Mascaró, representing the Majorcan Socialist Party (PSM), accused Matas of ruling for “a rich, select minority, selected when he was central environment minister.” His government, she alleged, had been marked by an absence of “honesty and transparency,” and dogged by allegations of corruption and other scandals. Francina Armengol, spokeswoman of the PSIB (Balearic socialists) also accused the PP of “lack of transparency.” She spent a good part of her speech commenting on the cases of alleged corruption which, in her opinion, Matas had done nothing to prevent.
She also accused him of ignoring public demands for change in policies such as motorway construction.
The debate ends today.