Closed in Playa de Palma. | Teresa Ayuga

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At the Friday post-cabinet meeting press conference, Balearic government spokesperson Pilar Costa said that the German government had expressed its concern about images which showed crowds of tourists and poor tourist behaviour. The German government wanted to know what was happening and what controls there were.

Costa echoed the words of the minister for the economic model, tourism and employment, Iago Negueruela, who revealed in a Friday newspaper interview that the German government had contacted the Spanish government because of these concerns; these were then passed on to the Balearic government.

On Thursday, the German foreign affairs minister, Heiko Maas, warned that new restrictions may be necessary if tourists travelling abroad cannot behave responsibly.

Costa said that poor behaviour by tourists "cannot be allowed", and she added that the regional government had already vowed to put an end to "tourism of excesses" by passing a decree with which "the entire tourism sector" agrees.

Regarding possible legal action against the government's decision to close establishments which sell alcohol on the five streets in Magalluf and Playa de Palma, Costa noted that businesses which are affected are free to appeal the decision and that the government would be "totally respectful" of this.

She stressed that although the situation with the pandemic in the Balearics is "controlled", it is necessary to act with "great prudence". "There would be no worse promotion than to have higher numbers of infections than we have now."