Opposition call for heads to roll over Andratx

BALEARIC opposition parties, and even alleged political allies of the ruling Partido Popular, yesterday stepped up the pressure on the Balearic government for resignations over the Andratx corruption scandal. The first target in the line of fire is the Balearic Interior Minister José María Rodríguez. He denies that he tipped off the former Mayor of Andratx Eugenio Hidalgo about his arrest just hours before the Guardia Civil swooped as part of their investigation into alleged corruption in the Town Hall. But, yesterday, opposition leaders retrained their sites on the Balearic president Jaume Matas. He is being urged to either resign or provide parliament with a full explanation in to what is going on in Andratx “if he wants to save himself from being implicated” in alleged political corruption. The PP spent the day taking flak from all across the Balearics with political opposition representatives in Ibiza and Minorca wading in.
The PSOE socialist party in Ibiza want to see the backs of both Matas and Rodriguez.
Here in Palma, socialist spokesperson Francina Armengol hinted that Matas could save himself with a full explanation.
The Green Party, which started the day calling for Matas to sack Rodriguez, finished off by issuing a statement in which they called for the whole Balearic government to go. The PSM Majorca Nationalist Party claimed that Rodriguez's position is no longer tenable and that, “after so many lies” he should do the honourable thing. One of the biggest blows to the PP came from the party's political ally, leader of the Council of Majorca and the Majorca Union Party, María Antonia Munar. While she avoided giving a straight answer to the question of whether the Interior Minister should go, she did say that, at times like this, a resignation can serve to ease the pressure on a government. While Munar said she is not one to advise others, she considers that “according to the manual”, if someone resigns, they eventually disappear from the media and public spotlight making it easier for them and the government.” Only time will tell.