Menorca car cap: PSOE wants second-home cars registered
Second-home owners in Menorca, Balearic Islands, would have to register their cars on the island to avoid a proposed cap on vehicle entries, under a PSOE demand made on Friday. The party has tabled amendments before an extraordinary sitting of the Consell de Menorca, the island council, on Monday. PSOE says it is seeking a deal that allows the measure to pass.
Its proposed changes would also deny an exemption to vehicles arriving from the other Balearic Islands. Hire cars should not be able to exploit loopholes in the rules, the party says. Cars belonging to Menorca-registered residents who are temporarily living away from the island would remain exempt.
The Socialists say the first move towards restricting vehicle arrivals came through the Biosphere Reserve Law passed during the 2019-2023 term. They argue that Menorca now needs an island regulation and an addition to that law to make the limit binding on shipping companies.
PSOE says it submitted a draft regulation to the island council in July 2025, followed by a bill at the Balearic Parliament in February 2026. Pepe Mercadal, the party's Menorca secretary-general, also wrote to Consell president Adolfo Vilafranca in summer 2025 seeking an agreement. PSOE says Vilafranca did not reply.
Ahead of Monday's sitting, the party argues that the PP does not have a secure majority for its initiative. It says the unaffiliated councillor, formerly of Vox, has repeatedly opposed the measure, while Vilafranca has not sought the support needed from PSOE and Més per Menorca.
Island councillor Bep Pastrana said PSOE had put forward amendments to improve the proposal. He said it was now for the Consell president to negotiate them, adding that the party remained ready to reach an agreement.
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com