Palma City Council wants to withdraw the licences awarded to the galleys who drive tourists around the city in horse-drawn carts, according to Mobility Councillor, Francesc Dalmau.
Progreso en Verde claims it has collected more than 120,000 signatures through change.org, from people calling for an end to the exploitation of carriage horses in Palma and suggesting they be replaced with electric vehicles.
"Galleys are not a mode of transport for the 21st century and the Government wants to withdraw the licences,” stated Councillor Dalmau.
He did not clarify a time frame for retrieving the licences, saying "it's an issue that has a cost that’s not been budgeted for, so it will depend on what budget can be allocated.”
In the last legislature the Government wanted to stop the galleys operating in Palma over a period of time by not allowing the licenses to be inherited and not granting any new ones.
But the Consell Consultiu ruled against Palma City Council in July last year which means the permits can still be inherited.
Progreso en Verde claims that “the Pact has breached several agreements approved in plenary" and called for “urgent action against the exploitation of horses."
Guillermo Amengual, President of Progreso en Verde stated that the agreements not complied with include "the Change of Ordinance for the transport of horse galleys, approved in 2014, or the change of the stops on Carrer del Conquistador and beside the Cathedral.”
"Every year we see horses on the verge of fainting in the street, but no action is taken, and there are no consequences for the drivers,” said Amengual, who vowed “Progreso en Verde will not be silent in the face of pressure from the galley drivers and will denounce all non-compliances."