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STAFF REPORTER

PALMA
THE Balearic High Court has opened its hearing into the case of 14 people - including five PP mayors - accused in the so-called Caballistas Case.
The case revolves around the construction of a house by the ex-mayor of Ses Salines, Sebastia Vidal.
Among the accused are the Mayor of Felanitx, Catalina Soler; the Mayor of Montuiri, Gabriel Matas; the Mayor of Selva, Joan Rotger; the Mayor of Santanyi, Miquel Vidal, the Deputy Mayor of Llucmajor, Joan Jaume Mulet; and the Deputy Mayor of Inca, Joan Rubert.

The 14 accused have been given five days to post bail, in the case of Vidal, 60'000 euros.
The prosecution's submission to the court explains that Vidal constructed a detached house, an outhouse and a number of other buildings on agricultural zoned land in the municipality of Ses Salines.

The head of the Balearic Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office, Juan Carau, who is directing the prosecution, alleges that these buildings “on every point were contrary to the law”, as the land was zoned agricultural and the size of the plot (8'878 square metres) was “much smaller than that required under the planning regulations” (14'000 square metres). “The accused tried to legally build the outhouse by indicating that it was for agricultural use but this petition was refused, which is evidence that it was illegally built,” said Carau in his written submission to the court.

Carau also pointed out in his submission that the only way that the construction of this building would be legal is if it were for public use.
In order to do this, adds Carau, Vidal said that the building was for the use of an equine club in the locality. According to the prosecution submission, he then prepared and signed a document confirming the existence of the club, which was said to have participated in fiestas in Ses Salines, in order to obtain a certificate of general interest and “legalise” the illegal constructions on his land.

In order to achieve greater credibility, he got 10 other PP mayors in Majorca to sign similar documents, in which they certified the participation of the club at events in their municipalities.

Carau is looking for Vidal to be given a six-year prison sentence.