The National Police celebrated their patron's day on Monday.

The National Police celebrated their patron's day on Monday. | Alejandro Sepúlveda

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma03/10/2017 00:00
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The National Police in the Balearics celebrated the force's patron's day in Palma on Monday. The event was attended by the national government delegate, Maria Salom, and the chief of the force, Antonio Jarabo de la Peña. Absent was the president (speaker) of parliament, Baltasar Picornell. He decided not to go at the last minute, signalling his protest against the actions of the police in Catalonia. This was despite no police based in the Balearics having been involved in Catalonia.

Various awards and distinctions were given out, and Jarabo delievered a speech in which he was critical of corruption and paid a good deal of attention to tourist safety and security. He observed that up to August there had been over 19,700,000 arrivals/departures at Palma airport (an increase of more than six per cent) and that almost 4.5 million direct border checks (passport control) had been made.

How tourists feel will influence their decisions to return, he noted. But he added that the tourism model in the Balearics is one that can attract some people who, even if they are "economically profitable", generate "significant toxicity" and represent a "serious discredit" for the Balearics. In essence, he was calling for there to be greater willingness to expel troublemaking tourists.