Balearic Government vice-president and spokesperson Antoni Costa said on Friday that approval of certain tourist containment measures arising from the sustainability pact's 350-page document will be delayed for some days in order to include "more ambitious" proposals. The report of the deliberations of the twelve working parties has seemingly given the government more food for thought. "We are going to be more ambitious than we initially thought."
This greater ambition, it is believed, will include holiday rental licences and how limitations can be applied to holiday rentals. The elimination of holiday lets without licences is also on the immediate agenda.
Costa explained that the government had already drafted legislation for containment measures. However, given what the pact's report contained, "we believe it is appropriate to adapt these measures to the objectives presented yesterday and extend some to those that were already planned to be included". One of the issues relates to holiday rentals and what to do with the licences that were granted years ago and that need to be renewed.
On the tourist tax, Costa said there will be an increase but he didn't state by how much or when it might be introduced. Although President Prohens would like to implement an increase for this summer, Costa recognised that this would be difficult. For one thing, contracts are in place. Another reason lies with negotiations that will be needed.
The vice-president stressed that nothing is being ruled out, but ruling things in will require parliament's approval. In this regard the government has a problem. Vox are as good as out of the equation because they don't support measures for tackling tourist saturation, which means discussions with the opposition parties on the left. The government could issue a decree law, but this won't be done, Costa accepting that a decree would eventually be most unlikely to get through parliament. The intention is instead to present draft legislation and use this as a basis for negotiation.
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