Controversy over car hire tax continues

Staff Reporter
THE Association of Balearic Car Hire Companies denies that it has been negotiating the tax on rental vehicles with the Balearic Government for the last seven months. The President of the Association, Ramon Reus, yesterday denied that they had been negotiating with the Government without informing their members, as was alleged earlier this week by Betacar's delegate, Antoni Torres, who said he felt that he had been misled. In a communique, Reus, who has said he respects the decision of Betacar to leave his association and join another, asked Torres not to “spread false stories” to justify his departure from the association. He said that it seemed like a strategy to “destabilise” and “interfere with” the work of the association, which represents 90 percent of rental companies. He said, “Nothing that Torres has said can be proved. We have not negotiated with the Government for seven months behind the backs of our members. Before he speaks, he should consider if he can prove these allegations and in this case it is simply not possible because we didn't do it. In our conversations with the Government we only defended the interests of the rental companies.” He added, “If Antoni Torres doesn't want to, or can't, explain the real reasons which have led Betacar to take this decision, that is his choice. But we would remind you that his company, through its owners, are in agreement in principle with hindering, through a tax, companies who export cars with zero mileage.”