Hello, I want to thank all the authorities and residents that have come today for the Council's ceremonial act in celebration of Balearic Islands day.

A celebration which takes place on Formentera, and Eivissa, Menorca and Mallorca as well.

Today is the first of March. An important day for the Balearic Islands. We celebrate this day in commemoration of the first statute of the Balearic Islands' entry into force. That happened 1 March 1983. We also commemorate the entry into force of that statute's revision, 1 March 2007.

That revision was very important for our island. It is what paved the way for the creation of the Formentera Island Council.

So March 1st is an important day for our island and all the Balearic Islands, because it's a celebration that reminds us of the common project we are developing together.

A project that requires our unity.

On Formentera, these first few months of the legislative session, we are showing unity is possible if we've got common goals, if we heed the requests of our people.

A common project on land protection.

The Govern Balear must provide each island, each council, the support they need to carry out their respective models of environmental protection.

A common project on culture, language and education.

Language and education must no longer be hijacked as motives for clashes and division.

We are a community that welcomes newcomers. Some of our most important values are precisely our language and culture. It is vital that we recognise the importance of our past, because our history is what makes our language and culture what they are today. And it is essential that we recognise: these commonalities serve as a basis for our shared future.

A common project built around people.

Each new facility, each infrastructural change, must serve to improve the quality of life of our people. Infrastructural changes and multimillion euro investments do us no good if their main target isn't to improve the daily reality we face as a people.

Formentera, Eivissa, Menorca and Mallorca... Each with its own identity and all of us working toward a common project.

Each of our islands has got a series of different on-the-ground realities which must be respected and made into advantages. However, environmental protection, defence of our local culture and the quality of life of islanders are goals that MUST BE SHARED.

Thank you very much for your attention

Feliç dia de les Illes Balears! Here's to the success of all our work together!

Susana Labrador
Vice president of the Formentera Council

Attendees of today's plenary meeting of the Formentera Council have agreed unanimously on the initial draft of revisions to Ses Salines parking directive. Transport councillor Rafael González described the changes as “aimed at promoting sustainable transport within the limits of the protected zone” while still “conserving the natural surroundings”.

Among the major tweaks highlighted by the councillor is the regulated control of vehicle access to the park—from 10 May to 30 September for Illetes and 1 June to September for Es Cavall den Borràs—“a change intended to bypass parking difficulties in those areas”, declared the councillor.

Another policy shift trumpeted by González: “Four-by-four vehicles will no longer be allowed access to the park, given concerns about the damage they inflict on the surrounding environment and traffic safety”. Said the head of transport: “We've decided to regulate four-by-four entry into the park because it's the spot on the island where the traffic situation is the prickliest”. He added: “The Council is working with rental agencies so that these [four-by-fours] can be gradually phased out”, saying the vehicles known popularly as quads aren't compatible with the sustainable transport the Council is seeking to promote.

Regulating bus access

Moreover, the Council has moved to regulate bus access to Ses Salines in light of buildup during the most popular travel times. On regular service routes, one bus may enter the park per half-hour and at no additional cost. As for service-by-request routes, the one-bus-per-half-hour quota still applies, but drivers must pay between €0.80 and €1.20 for a parking space (depending on the season). Between 12 noon and 5 p.m., access is forbidden flat out.

As for heavy-load vehicles, typically carrying merchandise to area restaurants, “access will be restricted during the busiest hours of tourist transit”, according to the councillor. Transport vans and lorries will be able to access the area until eleven in the morning and after five—or seven—in the evening, depending on the time of year. Councillor González pointed out that other changes included updating the removal protocol for illegally parked vehicles. He indicated the revisions had generally been welcomed even by opposition members of the Council, which explained their support for the measure.

Parking in la Savina

Plenary attendees also voted unanimously to ratify the accord for a government commission that will oversee payment rebates on parking in la Savina. Explained González, “we've made some adjustments to reduce the administrative workload and streamline the process for Formentera residents requesting or renewing their parking pass”.

Escoleta nursery schools

All representatives at the plenary voted to support a proposed revision of the Council's interior directive on public nursery schools (escoletes) as well as the tax ordinance to finance them. In that regard, education councillor Susana Labrador highlighted increased enrolment at the schools in recent years. “Formentera's nurseries now accommodate 130 children aged zero to three, compared to just 38 in years past”, pointed out Labrador. She said that expansion proves the Council's dedication to providing the much-needed service to local families and, moreover, heralded a greatly-reduced 2015-16 waitlist (it comprised three toddlers) Labrador said was thanks to the opening of the nursery school located at the football pitch”.

Councillor of sport reports on recent action

Jordi Vidal, councillor and head of the office of sport, provided an account of his office's activity over the past year. During the report back, Vidal received positive valuations from all the municipal groups that participated. Among the different actions from this past year he highlighted the creation of Formentera's athletics school, the programme to promote sportsmanlike values, the expansion of opening hours at the fitness centre/swimming pool to include Saturdays and the new funding model for local sports clubs. He also declared: “Formentera is working with other branches of the public administration to create a space to offer nautical sports services”.