By Humphrey Carter
Palma.The love affair between Majorca and Germany is a turbulent one and the island has come under criticism again for alleged criminal gangs operating at Palma airport and the fresh problems German tennis legend Boris Becker is facing over his property in Arta.
Two of the country's leading publications, Bunte and Bild have both attacked the island this week. Bunte focused on Becker's never ending story following reports that he is now at risk of having his 15 million euro property repossesed and auctioned off if he fails to pay an outstanding bill of nearly 300'000 euros to the company charged with looking after his gardens.
His lawyers have said that the outstanding bill will be settled once the property, which has been on the market for four years, is sold but Becker has already been caught in planning disputes between the local council and the Council of Majorca - one of the reasons he wants to sell the property.
And the Bunte article continues about his problems with the neighbours and having to knock an allegedly illegal extension down etc.
Not quite the reaction the British press had to the news that a Conservative MP is facing having an annex built on to his Alaro home knocked down.
Bild have aimed their attack on the alleged highly trained criminal gangs operating at Palma airport.
They're supposed to be the best days of your year, Disconnecting for two to three weeks in Majorca, forgetting about everything. But, for many tourists, their relaxation ends as soon as they arrive at Palma airport Bild reported yesterday.
In its headline, it claimed that last week alone, 324 robberies were reported at Palma airport and, the newspaper went on to allege, the police can no longer cope. Bild apparently spoke to the Chief of Police at the airport, Jose Maria Manos Morales, who said that some of the gangs are now operating in the car park where clients collect their rental vehicles.
The newspaper also quoted a number of German victims.
They all appear to have fallen for the age old trick of being distracted by a lost tourist with a map while the rest of the gang rob what they can.