The full Parliament has given the green light to the reform of the capital law of Palma, which raises to 60 million euros annually the minimum contribution that the rest of the administrations must make to the Balearic capital.
The legislative initiative, promoted by the City Council of Palma at the end of last year and admitted for processing by the regional Chamber months later, has moved forward with the favorable votes of PP, PSIB, and MÉS per Mallorca.
Vox, which initially supported the text, has justified its change of position and its vote against due to the incorporation of amendments that, in its opinion, address issues unrelated to the reality of Palma.
Throughout the parliamentary processing, 128 amendments were registered, of which 40 have finally been incorporated. In the plenary session this Tuesday, those that remained alive were discussed, and all were rejected, except for one from the PP that succeeded due to an error by the PSIB in the voting.
PSIB and MÉS support the norm while Vox distances itself
The PP deputy Marga Durán has emphasized that the update of the law is "important" and has highlighted the negotiation work and the transactions reached, which have allowed "the law to be one of consensus."
Among the incorporated amendments, measures to support families, new regulations on neighborhood federations, and actions in housing matters have been highlighted.
At the same time, the 'popular' parliamentarian has called on Vox to "make an effort" and support the text. "It would not be understood otherwise," she emphasized.
The spokesperson for the PSIB, Iago Negueruela, has valued the agreement with the PP to advance the norm, recalling that the project entered the Parliament with the initial support of Vox, which has now distanced itself.
"It is not the perfect law, but it is one in which we can recognize ourselves," stated the socialist, who thanked the mayor of Palma, Jaime Martínez, for his "negotiating spirit."
Negueruela has insisted that the reform entails an improvement of basic services, specific interventions in certain neighborhoods, and the creation of a municipal housing company.
Likewise, he has reiterated the demand that Palma have the capacity and autonomy to declare itself a tense area and limit rental prices, an amendment from the PSIB that has not been accepted.
From MÉS per Mallorca they have supported the law "for coherence," but have criticized the "lack of willingness to reach agreements." The ecosoberanist deputy Ferran Rosa has maintained that the approved regulation "does not resolve the structural deficiencies that Palma has."
Rosa has lamented, among other aspects, the rejection of his party's amendments so that the Govern and the Consell de Mallorca can directly acquire land intended for public services.
"Capital city implies understanding that the economic and administrative concentration in Palma has consequences in other municipalities that need to be alleviated," he has defended.
For her part, the deputy from Més per Menorca, Joana Gomila, has demanded to double the funding of the Menorca Biosphere Reserve Law, from four to eight million euros, in parallel with the increase of resources for Palma. The representative of the PP has replied that this proposal "has nothing to do" with the capital city law.
During the debate, the deputy from Unidas Podemos, José María García, has proposed applying a surcharge of four euros on the Sustainable Tourism Tax (ITS) to address the challenges arising from tourism activity.
"It is not the law we would like," he has admitted, although he has considered that the text "has improved a lot" during its passage through the Parlament.
Vox breaks with the agreement and criticizes the PP
The Vox deputy Sergio Rodríguez has lashed out at the PP for having agreed on amendments with the left-wing groups, insisting that "if the left sees the law as positive, it is not good."
"It seems to us an absolute lack of respect that we have to accept their red lines, but we can never set any. And of course, for us, the issue of language is a red line," he has reproached.
In this line, he has censured that the PP rejected an amendment from Vox that, in general terms, urged the City Council to guarantee the use of both Spanish and Catalan, both orally and in writing.
According to Rodríguez, voting against the law is "being consistent and defending the dignity of the parliamentary group." "When they encounter any demand from Vox, they go to the left to ask for little favors," he has added.
In her second intervention, the 'popular' deputy has defended the agreements reached with the PSIB and has said she does not understand why Vox has rejected all the articles. "If out of 52 amendments from the socialists, we have reached 14 transactions because they are good for Palma, that would be the only thing missing," she has pointed out.
The representative of Vox has insisted on the "absolute lack of respect" that, in his opinion, the PP has shown towards his group. "We deserved that they would have taken the trouble to try to negotiate our amendments," he emphasized.
Main changes in the capital law
The text, which began its parliamentary journey with seven articles and has reached the plenary with 23, establishes that the minimum contribution that other administrations must transfer to the City Council of Palma to compensate for the costs of the capital will be 60 million euros, double the amount in force until now.
The law introduces changes in the field of social services and the care of victims of gender-based violence, as well as in security matters. In this regard, it provides for the promotion of the Community Police figure and the creation of civic agents responsible for ensuring compliance with municipal ordinances.
It is also incorporated, through an amendment, that the City Council of Palma strengthen support for families, especially the most vulnerable, in aspects such as work-life balance and access to housing.
In the residential area, the law adds a new article for the establishment of a tenant defense office. Thus, Cort must offer a permanent municipal service of information, legal advice, and support to tenants, as well as to those at risk of losing their homes, eviction, occupation, or tourist rental.
Furthermore, the creation, within a maximum period of one year, of a municipal housing company as a means of its own and a central tool of the City Council's housing policy is foreseen.
Another of the novelties is the mandate to the Govern to process, within a maximum of two years, a law that creates the Metropolitan Area of Palma, which will also integrate the municipalities of Calvià, Marratxí, and Llucmajor.
The text also includes amendments that recognize the right of nursing professionals and the rest of the healthcare personnel of subgroup A2 to direct basic health areas and to receive compensation in accordance with the responsibilities they assume.
Finally, an amendment from the PP has been incorporated after two voting errors by socialist deputies. In the second mistake, the parliamentarian Llorenç Córdoba has refused to repeat the vote.
This amendment allows the Consell de Mallorca to delegate to the Ayuntamiento de Palma the powers of authorization and report attributed to it by the historical heritage legislation regarding works, uses, and interventions that affect cataloged assets located in the municipality.