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By Humphrey Carter

PALMA
THE President of the Balearics, Francesc Antich, yesterday called on all local political parties to take responsibility for their own actions and face up to the tough times ahead.

Over the past few days Antich has come under fresh pressure from the Majorcan Unionists to call an early election in order to put a line under the corruption scandals which have dented public confidence in the local government and also caused a number of rifts inside the coalition, of which the Unionists are members.

However, Antich is standing firm and after yesterday's cabinet meeting stressed that their will be no early election. “Apart from the current economic climate being totally unsuitable for a snap election, parties have to start taking responsibility for their own actions and stop trying to pass the buck,” Antich said. The Unionists have been tarnished by the alleged involvement of their former parliamentary spokesperson and MP Bartomeu Vicens in the Son Oms urban corruption scandal.

Antich immediately called on Vicens to resign his seat but - with the apparent support of his own party - he has refused and has since been temporarily suspended from the Unionist Party and will next week take up his new place in parliament alongside the Mixed Group.