Palma. The authorities are said to be giving some serious thought to a proposal to avoid citizens from walking half naked on the street, although this would only affect certain areas of the city and not the promenade by the beach and of course on the beach itself.
Palma's city and beach councillor Joan Pau Reus said this would not affect the Playa de Palma and Can Pere for example but the Paseo Maritimo for sure.
The proposal was submitted to the council after several complaints from neighbours, who do not believe the sight of tourists wearing nothing but a bathing suit is beneficial to the image of charismatic areas like around the Cathedral.
Authorities are working on the new law, using the example of Barcelona, which in 2011 banned everyone from walking round the city in an indecent manner.
Tourists or locals who fail to respect the yet to be approved motion could be cautioned with a light fine said Reus.
The councillor added that the Playa de Palma and the city's Hotel Associations' role in implementing and informing tourists about the new measure would be crucial, and plans to post the new law on billboards similar to the ones telling citizens to keep the beaches clean is a possible solution.
A first draft of the new policy is set to be submitted in September. The Council will then present it to the opposition, neighbourhood associations, businesses and any entities which could be affected by the new motion.
Reus explained that for the policy to go ahead and for the government to start working on it, cross-party consensus will be needed.