Tourists checking in at hotel.

Tourists checking in at hotel. | Daniel Espinosa

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterMallorca16/11/2021 08:44
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Podemos has objected to the Government's plan to use the 2022 ecotax for Covid recovery projects and to boost the economy and is calling for the money to be used for environmental and seasonal projects that create employment and is submitting a budget amendment.

A rundown of the budget will be announced in Parliament this week and Government spokesperson and Tourism Minister, Iago Negueruela, will give his explanation on Wednesday.

Several other parties have also objected to the Government’s plans for the 2022 budget.

Miquel Ensenyat from Més per Mallorca said not using the ecotax to alleviate the effects of tourism and protect the environment is an abnormality.

Antoni Costa from PP, Patricia Guasp from Cs and Josep Melià from PI pointed out that the tax had a specific purpose.

Minister Negueruela confirmed that the tax will be used for health, education and social services next year.

"Environmental investments will be made with European funds," he said.

He also openly defended using 580,000 euros of ecotax money to sponsor the LOS40 Music Awards claiming a return of 6 euros for each euro invested.

Regarding sponsorship, he said that he and others agreed that it's a very difficult time with a 20% drop in GDP and the risk of job losses.

“Sectors such as musical events have suffered from Covid more than others and all the assembly logistics contracted to local companies have produced an economic return," explained Minister Negueruela. "We wanted to say that we are open during the winter months.”