Communiqué from the Formentera Council regarding petroleum exploration

As per the newly-released Govern Balear report concerning illegal petroleum prospecting maintained over the course of the past year, the Formentera Council wishes to express its disappointment at the secret nature of the information, heretofore kept from the Council.

The publication of the report would have played an important role in the decision to sanction or boycott those companies who might use the Mediterranean for their own personal profit. It could have also served to raise public awareness on petroleum exploration.

Nevertheless, the greater objective must still be the stop of all exploration activity, a tremendous threat to our local environment and economy. At these times, division among government institutions, citizens' groups and the public at large can only stand to benefit those who support the prospections.

It is for this reason that the Formentera Council wholeheartedly supports the continuation of the Govern's anti-prospection activity. We wish to take the present opportunity to repeat to Balearic president José Ramón Bauzá our request for a meeting in Madrid with Bauzá himself, the four local island council presidents and Spanish president Mariano Rajoy.