Catalonia has its own police - Mossos d'Esquadra.

Catalonia has its own police - Mossos d'Esquadra. | Efe - Alejandro Garcia

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma04/03/2020 04:01
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On Tuesday, parliament approved a motion by Més Minorca for there to be reports before the first quarter of 2021 to evaluate conditions for transfers of powers to the Balearics in respect of water resources (e.g. to do with treatment plants), police and the coasts.

These powers correspond to the state, and where police are concerned, the motion was a first step in seeking to establish a separate police force for the Balearics. This part of the motion was passed with the Partido Popular, Vox and Ciudadanos voting against it.

Sebastià Sagreras of the PP expressed his opposition, warning that "precedent" in Catalonia "does not invite optimism". Leading politicians in Catalonia, he observed, had used the Mossos d'Esquadra as a means for attempting to get independence. Mercedes Garrido of PSOE argued that the Balearic Islands need their own force, but she added that it was "another thing" when this might be. Maxo Benalal of Ciudadanos wondered if the government was "on another planet". Resources in the Balearics are limited, as the government has recognised.

All parties with the exception of Vox were in favour of a transfer of powers for managing the coasts. Storm Gloria had provided an example of how management would be much more efficient if the Balearic government had direct control and not the state in the form of the Costas Authority.