A technical group reporting to the Council of Majorca's department for patrimony has approved the protection of the monument in Palma's Sa Feixina park. The group therefore attributes to the monument sufficient patrimonial and heritage values which should mean that it is protected by being declared a site of cultural interest. The decision was, however, not unanimous.
Their conclusions reverse pronouncements in December 2015 by both this group and the Council's patrimony committee which considered that the monument did not have sufficient values to be given the level of protection that comes from being in the cultural interest. Since then, however, there have been submissions from associations challenging the rulings.
The monument was dedicated to Nationalist sailors who were killed when their heavy cruiser, the Baleares, was torpedoed by Republican destroyers during the Civil War. The political motivation to demolish the monument has been because it is considered to be a symbol of Francoism, although the dedication was neutralised by the last PSOE-led administration in Palma to make it a monument to all victims.
The current administration has been adamant since the time it took office that the monument should be knocked down, with Més being the particular driving force behind this through the party's control of the town hall's culture department.
The technical group which has arrived at its latest conclusions consists, among others, of representatives from the Council of Majorca, Palma town hall, the University of the Balearic Islands and the Arca preservation association. The latter of these has been a particular advocate of the monument not being demolished. Arca was one of five to vote in favour of the protection of the monument. There were six abstentions and one vote against (Kika Coll of Més, the Council's director of patrimony).
The patrimony committee will now consider these conclusions. Ultimately, it is up to a full session of the Council of Majorca to decide whether or not to award protected status. The Council's political make-up is the same as at Palma town hall. The ruling administration comprises PSOE, Més and Podemos.