Illegal holiday lets in Mallorca and the Balearics will be sealed off

President Prohens is determined to implement this measure

Protest graffiti against holiday lets in Palma, Mallorca

Graffiti from some years ago opposing holiday lets in Palma. | Patricia Lozano

Andrew EdePalma30/09/2023 11:49

The Balearic government's emergency housing decree was due to have been approved at Friday's cabinet meeting. It wasn't because ministers raised additional issues they wished to be included. Or this was how spokesperson Toni Costa explained the delay, as it is believed that there was one issue in particular that needed to be nailed down, and that was to do with illegal holiday rentals.

Costa sidestepped questions regarding rentals by saying that various ministers had proposed initiatives linked to housing. But he did not dispute the fact that President Prohens had stated on more than one occasion that the government will legislate so that illegal holiday rentals can be sealed off. If there is commitment to this, he noted, "it will be done".

And all indications are that this measure will indeed be included. Costa explained that government officials would be working over the weekend in order to bring a revised text to an extraordinary meeting of the cabinet on Monday.

One thing seems certain, which is that this weekend's work will be addressing legal matters related to a proposal that the president is determined to implement.