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Areas General Services Presidency Formentera asks Palma for special strategy and targeted measures to tackle housing problems

Formentera asks Palma for special strategy and targeted measures to tackle housing problems

reunio---institucional-armengoToday in the Formentera government’s hall of ceremonies, island president Alejandra Ferrer met with Balearic first minister Francina Armengol, local vice-presidents Ana Juan, Susana Labrador and Rafael Ramírez and Ms Armengol’s cabinet minister, Pilar Costa.

The meeting offered a review of the projects developed over the course of the previous term, including the hand-off of authority on tourism promotion, construction of the new school and nursery in Sant Ferran (a visit followed the gathering) and the rollout of formentera.eco —the plan to count and cap vehicle entry on the island— as well as other ventures still in the offing.

One of the priority points was housing. In that regard, Formentera officials called on their counterparts from Palma to create a Comprehensive Housing Office (Oficina Integral de l’Habitatge). President Ferrer placed “an unprecedented housing bill entailing a whole slew of improvements” among the “many steps already taken by the regional government”. “But Formentera’s highly unique situation leaves us in a legal grey area, which is why we need a special plan and specific measures to make sure the right to housing is a reality here.”

For her part, Ms Armengol granted that “some of the housing measures applied elsewhere in the Balearics aren’t applicable to Formentera”. She pledged to listen to proposals from Formentera and see how they could be made to fit with rules backed by the regional government. “A solution here is imperative”, she said, “there are so many people that can’t afford market prices, or, quite simply, aren’t finding any available homes”.

Maritime transport and moorage checks
President Ferrer voiced her hopes that the project to regulate moorage across Formentera’s coast be moved forward. On maritime transport, she acknowledged that the recent securing of early-morning and late-evening ferry passage between Eivissa and Formentera constituted a success, “but continued efforts will be needed to ensure a minimum standard of service, and to protect the route that boats cut across Ses Salines nature reserve”.

Ms Armengol said the Balearic government was ready and willing for more progress in those areas. “Thanks to regulation developing a special funding scheme for the Balearic Islands, we had our first-ever rules on freight transport, including assistance for inter-island shipping with special protocol for Eivissa and Formentera that could mean savings between the two islands of up to 72%”.

Formentera officials also called on their regional counterparts to collaborate in the effort to close the water cycle, including upgrades to water treatment. Other requests involved work to open the Formentera Museum, and recovering traditional use of the island’s salterns.

20 February 2020
Department of Communication
Consell de Formentera

Presidency

Press Office

971 32 10 87 - Ext: 3181
premsa@conselldeformentera.cat

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