New system proposed for discount air fares

by Staff Reporter
THE Balearic parliament approved a proposal by the ruling Partido Popular (PP), to call on the central government to cancel the current system of discounts on flights between the Balearics Islands for residents, and transfer the money saved to the regional government next year. This would enable the Balearic government to draw up a new type of discount which would lead to a reduction in fares to as little as 27 euros.
This was one of the resolutions passed on the third and last day of the debate on the state of the Balearics. The proposal was approved with the favourable votes of the PP and Majorcan Unionist (UM) party, despite the opposition of the socialists. The Majorcan Socialist Party (PSM) presented an amendment accepting the reduction in fares, but without specifying the means of achieving this, but it was rejected. The proposal had been announced by Balearic leader Jaume Matas on Tuesday, during his speech. However, most of the opposition groups feel that it is the central government which is responsible for air transport, slamming the proposal as “valueless.” Parliament also approved another PP proposal to introduce a new Special Regime for the Balearics in the Home Rule Statute which is currently being debated in Madrid. This would rule that the State recognises the specific and differential island nature of the Balearics. This proposal was not acceptable to the United Left/Greens (EU-EV) coalition, who denied that Matas had widespread support. He accused Matas of merely trying to capture headlines, but “afterwards, everything is forgotten.” Parliament debated 374 proposals, 126 of which, most of them from the PP, were approved.
The PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers Union) was the group which presented most proposals, 118.
It was followed by the Majorcan Socialist Party (PSM) with 107; the EU-EV with 54 and the PP with 50.
The party which presented a proposal had ten minutes in which to defend it and the other parties five minutes to state their position.
There were no replies or counter-replies, and Matas had the right to intervene whenever he wanted to and with no time limit.