Balearics to get responsibility for the coasts

Damage caused by Storm Gloria in Mallorca

Damage caused by Storm Gloria in January 2020 reinforced the desire to have responsibility for the coasts. | Jesús Jusué

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma22/12/2021 12:42

The former Balearic environment minister and now a senator in Madrid, Vicenç Vidal of Més, says that a working party will be set up during the first quarter of 2022 to begin the process of transferring responsibilities for Balearic coasts from the Costas Authority to the regional environment ministry.

This process, he adds, will result in transfer of competences "with all the necessary resources so that the Costas function better than at present". These are competencies that were included in the 2017 reform of the Balearic statute of autonomy but had not been acted upon until now.

The agreement on the transfer of powers follows intense negotiations to secure Vidal's backing for the 2022 state budgets. In addition to powers related to the Costas, the Balearics will receive one million euros for the protection of posidonia sea grass and around 300,000 euros for different actions to promote the Catalan language.

In Vidal's view, "the transfer of powers is a fully-fledged sovereign victory". It demonstrates that in the face of the climate emergency, "it is necessary to have sovereign control of one's own territory, including the coastline".