PUBLIC OUTRAGE OF ROAD PROJECT GREEN LIGHT

By Humphrey Carter THE Insular Council of Majorca sparked public outrage yesterday from residents opposed to the ambitious road plan which councillors approved at the meeting attended by a group of demonstrators. Over 100 protesters, some from the anti-Inca to Manacor motorway movement and others from the movement to block the second Palma ring road, picketed the Insular Council offices in Palma yesterday and as the crowd grew increasingly angry, the National Police riot squad was called in to cordon off the building as some councillors had problems pressing through the crowd of protesters to attend the meeting. However, despite public opposition, the council governing Majorca Union party and the Partido Popular voted in favour of expanding the new road plan to include an extra nine projects, three of which being the controversial projects. The leader of the Majorca Council, Maria Antonia Munar, caused further controversy when she ordered that protesters be barred from entering the council chambers for “public order” reasons, but even members of her own party, the Majorcan Union party, reacted angrily, accusing her of being “undemocratic.” The councillor for Public Works, Antoni Pascual, said that the new road modifications are necessary and denied that the UM is acting as a Partido Popular puppet, explaining that the projects have been designed with very close co-operation between the two political groups on the council. PP spokesperson, Fernando Rubio, said that his party is merely complying with one of its electoral promises “to create a road network which is safe, environmentally friendly and one which functions.” PSOE socialist party spokesperson, the former Minister for Public Works Francesc Quetglas, said that the projects have been designed and passed without the necessary public consultation. He added that the new road plan flies in the face of the previous government's attempts to promote and improve public transport. Former Environment Minister, Margalida Rosselló, accused the PP of “destroying” Majorca.