Formentera coastal permits row: minister blames left
The legality of recent coastal permits on Formentera is under fresh pressure after a clash in the Balearic Parliament on 15 September 2026. Sea and Water Cycle Minister Juan Manuel Lafuente accused the left of handing over coastal management powers without the staff, resources or substance needed to make them work. PSOE deputy Pilar Costa, meanwhile, questioned whether decisions by the island’s new director general for coasts were lawful.
Lafuente said the transfer of powers had been driven more by election propaganda than by solving problems. He insisted his department had followed the rules in every case, including on Formentera.
Mixed Group deputy Llorenç Córdoba demanded to know who had set the criteria used for coastal case files during this parliamentary term. The minister said the decisions were based on the law, while Córdoba called for an explanation of actions by the new coastal director and of temporary permits.
Lafuente traced the dispute back to the Consell de Formentera’s management since 2022 under a progressive administration. He said officials had done major work when permits came up for renewal and that the outcome largely matched the criteria set by the coastal authority.
The minister said the Directorate General had dealt with 2,429 case files during this term, all in line with the legal framework and technical reports.
Costa focused on a paid-entry event in Sant Antoni, held for a celebration in s'Arenal during the eclipse. She said it went ahead despite unfavourable technical reports issued before the previous director general for coasts was removed.
She also said a ruling from the new director general arrived 15 days after the event, without a date or electronic signature. Costa pressed Lafuente on whether the latest permits complied with the law.
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com