Pilar Costa, the minister for the presidency, has asked all government departments - ministries, public agencies and others - to submit a list of all plaques on official buildings that feature the name of the disgraced former Balearic president, Jaume Matas. The list should also include plaques with the names of others who have been convicted of corruption.
Costa says that there isn't a complete inventory of buildings with plaques and their names; hence she has asked for the information.
Plaques in Formentera have already been identified and orders given for them to be removed. They relate to a school, a department at the hospital and the office of the IB3 broadcaster.
Més have been pressing the government to act in removing the Matas plaques and ones also for the one-time trade minister, Josep Juan Cardona, who was convicted of corruption and is currently in prison in Ibiza. Other names targeted are those of former tourism ministers Francesc Buils and Miquel Nadal.
The government can only insist on the removal of plaques that are on its property, though it is likely that others will follow its lead. In the case of the Council of Majorca, this would affect plaques with the name of its one-time president Maria Antònia Munar. While the Council probably will act, there are then also all the plaques on buildings in the numerous municipalities: many of these will bear the names of Matas or Munar.
The portrait of Matas has been removed from the gallery of former presidents at the Consolat de Mar chapel, while one of Munar has not been placed in the Council of Majorca's council chamber.