Shortly before Christmas, the Balearic Government responded with disbelief when Spain's defence minister, Margarita Robles, told President Prohens during a phone conversation that she knew nothing about a project for a weapons facility at the Son Sant Joan airbase, which shares the same site as Palma Airport.
The government's astonishment was heightened by the fact that the Spanish Government had declared the airbase a zone of national defence interest on December 4. The regional government was also aware of the contract for building the facility having been tendered and awarded. Preliminary survey work at the airbase had started.
Whatever the minister may or may not have known about the project, it is now understood that it has been shelved and that alternative locations, not in Mallorca, are being studied.
There was an outcry about plans for this weapons storage facility. Initially this was because the regional government and Palma Town Hall only heard about it through media reports in October. The government, while supportive of the project on national security grounds, accused Madrid of "institutional disrespect" for not having been notified. The matter was subsequently raised in Congress by Vicenç Vidal of Més-Sumar; the defence ministry has still to respond to written questions.
But the answers may no longer necessary if, as would appear to be the case, the defence ministry has decided to look for another site.
As well as the government's annoyance, there were objections by residents in the vicinity of the airbase. Residents of Sa Casa Blanca demanded that someone give them an explanation. "I don't want bombs near my house," said one resident. "It sounds dangerous, though we assume it will be safe." The base's commander did give reassurances about safety measures, but residents complained that they were being ignored by politicians with the exception of Vidal.