Pressure is mounting on the Ibiza government after it was revealed that the island will only receive 13% of funds from the new tourist ecotax that will be implemented in the spring of 2016. This is down from the 20% that was previously ‘agreed’.
This is the 1st big challenge for the coalition government of PSOE/Podemos with Viviana de Sans of Podemos publically denouncing the decision claiming that she didn’t know until the actual press conference announcing it. Strange indeed seeing that she’s Vice President?
You always know there is a crisis when the president of the council comes out and claims that “there is no crisis” and this is exactly what Vicent Torres did yesterday trying to play down events however this political hot potato refuses to go away.
Opposition spokesman Vicente Roig from the PP has jumped all over the issue too citing this as weak leadership from Torres and an example of the clear divisions within the coalition.
Juanjo Riera, President of the Ibiza and Formentera Hotel Association, has once again come out strongly against the tax and claiming it’s another example of Mallorca riding roughshod over the other islands saying its another ‘submission’ to the largest Balearic island and seat of the Balearic parliament.
Sr Riera was unequivocal in his tirade saying “regardless of political party , (Ibiza) people are tired of always giving in to Mallorca, it’s shameful and not just in this (political) term”.
Lucas Prats, head of promotion for Ibiza tourism has also said it’s a ‘mistake’ further heaping pressure on the island council.
The 2002 ecotax was seen a massive vote loser for the then socialist government after it was implemented badly and it appears that the 2016 version is going the same way. Watch this space as this is the story that keeps giving which is ironic really as the ecotax appears that it will be taking lots from Ibiza and putting very little back.
"MAN IN SAN AN" by Martin Makepeace 