The first to break related to a lunch, a private event, which was attended by Prohens and other people from the PP and some who were not. In the latter category was José María Rodríguez, no longer a member of the PP but a former president of the party in Palma and a one-time Balearic government minister. He was in fact expelled from the party in 2016 because of accusations levelled against him. Last October, he was sentenced to three and a half years for his involvement in a corruption case that dated way back to 2003 and to the PP's election campaign of that year. After twelve days in prison, he was given third-grade prisoner category - he is obliged to only spend Monday to Thursday nights in prison.
News of this lunch was leaked to the press, apparently by someone from the PP. Asked about the meal, Prohens told the Canal 4 television station that it wasn't a gathering of importance or of significance, although she recognised - given the significance since attached to it - that it hadn't been an "appropriate decision". An accusation has been made that the list of candidates to stand for the PP at the Palma municipal election was discussed at this lunch, the implication being that Rodríguez was still wielding some influence. Prohens flatly denied this, stressing that the list is a matter for the PP candidate for mayor, Jaime Martínez, who was also at the lunch.
While political opponents sought to take advantage of this lunch, they are expressing even greater outrage at something else Prohens said during that TV interview. Referring to the obligation in the 2022 tourism law for hotels to replace all their beds with adjustable ones, she said that this was "the greatest nonsense of tourism policy in recent years", adding that hoteliers share this opinion, as they have told her so.
Indignant responses to this have come from President Armengol; the Més coordinator and candidate for the Balearic presidency, Lluis Apesteguia; chambermaid representatives; and Spain's ministers for employment and equality, Yolanda Díaz and Irene Montero. In essence, they all express the same sentiments - that Prohens is disrespecting the work of chambermaids and disregarding the occupational injuries that they suffer. The reason why there is this obligation for adjustable beds is precisely because of the occupational health issue.
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