The Spanish Government has authorised the declaration of the airbases at Palma Son Sant Joan Airport and in Puerto Pollensa as zones of national defence interest.
In practical terms, and for now, this declaration only affects Son Sant Joan and relates to the creation of the depot for storing weapons for fighter jets, helicopters and combat drones. The declaration requires that any new regulations or planning that may affect these airbases must have the approval of the ministry of defence. It will determine whether or not these are compatible with military objectives.
The project for the depot came to light almost two months ago. The ministry has awarded the contract for the construction, with work expected to take nine months. As the depot will be on land owned by the ministry, no expropriation has been necessary.
There continues to be political and residents' opposition to the depot. The closest house is approximately 300 metres away. Within the airbase, the minimum safety distance between the depot and other facilities is 300 metres. The nearest population centre is Sa Casa Blanca, roughly one kilometre away.
Vicenç Vidal, Balearic senator for Sumar Més, has been one of the fiercest critics of the project and has taken the matter to the Congress committees for defence and insularity. He said on Wednesday: "We don't want a military escalation that turns the Balearic Islands into a platform for attacking or defending others."
Back in October, the parliamentary spokesperson for the ruling Partido Popular in the Balearics, Sebastià Sagreras, said: "We believe there should be more institutional loyalty; we can't learn about this through the media. The ministry should have contacted the government and the town hall to explain its intentions."
Colonel Carlos de Montemayor, head of the Son Sant Joan airbase, has sought to reassure the public. "The construction will be carried out in accordance with regulations and safety standards. The construction serves to provide security. It will store the minimum necessary for our daily use and to be able to begin operations should it become necessary to defend this strategic point."