Tourism minister becomes Balearic government spokesman

Balearic President re-shuffles her cabinet

Iago Negueruela. | ARCHIVO

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma12/02/2021 11:18

Francina Armengol's cabinet reshuffle sees three ministers exiting - Isabel Castro (public administration), Pilar Costa (presidency) and Marc Pons (transport and housing) - and three entering. Josep Mari Ribas, the current mayor of Sant Josep de Talaia in Ibiza, replaces Pons; Mercedes Garrido will be the new minister for the presidency and for public function; and Miquel Company, at present the vice-president of the Council of Minorca, is to head a new ministry for European funds, universities and culture.

Iago Negueruela, who continues as the minister for the economic model, tourism and employment, will assume Costa's role as government spokesperson. Costa, for her part, will become PSOE spokesperson in parliament. It is understood that Pons is to take up a position with the national ministry for energy transition in Madrid, while Castro will continue working for the government in another capacity.

The reshuffle only affects PSOE ministers, although the Podemos government vice-president and minister for energy transition and the productive sectors, Juan Pedro Yllanes, will now also be responsible for historic memory.

Mercedes Garrido was formerly the councillor for infrastructure and territory at the Council of Majorca. At the 2019 election she stood for parliament and is a current deputy. The creation of the ministry for European Funds had been flagged up in advance, given the added importance there now is because of economic reconstruction.

Armengol said on Friday that "we have to take advantage of the opportunity that European funds gives us to modernise and diversify the economy based on new projects". The fundamental reason for the reshuffle is to "adapt the government's structure to the reality in which we find ourselves".