Opposition councillors walk out over demolition

ALL the opposition councillors, with the exception of the three-party spokesman, walked out of a council meeting yesterday when Mayor Catalina Cirer refused to allow a debate on the demolition of the railway bridge over the weekend. However, the council still retained sufficient majority to approve the council budget for 2006.
The 11 councillors of the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers Party), EU-EV (United Left-Greens) and Majorcan Socialist Party (PSM) consider the demolition of the bridge, which is the work of architect Gaspar Bennassar and is listed, an affront to the heritage. Members of the committee set up to demand a bigger park on the site of the railway stations also protested during the meeting, accusing the council of “eluding its responsibilities” and misinforming residents. The bridge was demolished over the weekend by the Balearic ministry of public works, who says that key parts have been saved and labelled and will be reconstructed at a later date. But opponents point to the fact that considerable changes to the proportions of the bridge, which will be longer and higher, will be made. Legal action is being considered.