WAR OF WORDS BETWEEN PALMA AND MADRID OVER CLAIMS OF A SHORTFALL IN POLICE IN THE BALEARICS

LOCAL and central government were locked in a war of words yesterday over claims of a policing crisis in the Balearics.
Central government delegate to the Balearics, Ramón Socías, yesterday hit back at accusations made by the Balearic Interior Minister, José María Rodríguez on Tuesday, warning him not to “politicise” the issue of public security and policing. Socias said that the claims made by Rodríguez, smacks at the similar strategy used by the right wing Partido Popular at national level and said that policing must not be a topic to be used for political gain. However, Socias refused to either deny or confirm the latest crime figures for the Balearics. He preferred to focus on the alleged “lack of institutional loyalty” shown on behalf of the Minister who he accused of leaking plans for a meeting between the two men to discuss the security problem before Socias had accepted an invitation to the talks. For his part, Rodríguez said yesterday that he is confident Socias will accept his offer to meet to discuss the situation this week. Because, he said, it is vital that a region so dependent on tourism, like the Balearics, has the full co-operation of all levels of administration when it comes to guaranteeing the maximum level of safety and security for residents and visitors. As reported yesterday, the latest crime reports claim that the Balearics is the autonomous region with the second highest crime rate in Spain this year.