Students welcome mayor Squatters down

Jo Pugh

COUNCILLORS from Alcudia Town Hall visited the participants in the excavation campaign in Pollentia on Monday, July 17. Mayor Fina Linares met with the students and directors, and took a tour of the Sa Portella area.

Among the explanations that were given during the visit, Miquel Angel Cau, one of the co­directors of the excavations, together with Esther Chávez and Catalina Mas, said that this year there were “settlements found in the residential area of Sa Portella, which could be before the Roman era. We were lucky to find these structures that seem to pre­exist in the Roman city, an ancient settlement.” Now, more studies of these findings must be done due to their dating.

At the beginning of the excavation campaign in Pollentia, other finds were made such as coins, and a lot of ceramics.

This summer there are 32 students from the world of archaeology participating in the excavations, coming from various Spanish and foreign universities.

Alcudia Town Council is supporting the task and wants to increase the period of excavations to put more value on the historical heritage of the Roman city of Pollentia.

2023 is a special year for the project as it is the centenary celebrations of the start of the excavation of the Roman city of Pollentia.

DATA from the Ministry of the Interior has revealed a 20 per cent decrease in squatting and usurpation cases in the Balearic Islands in the last two years. In 2022, the number of cases reported was 405. There were 509 cases reported in 2021.

However, the first fourmonth period of 2023 indicates that there were 152 reports of unauthorised occupation, an increase of 11 per cent, compared to the same period of 2022 when 136 reports were made. This

Plainclothes police unit

represents a decrease of 26 per cent compared to 2021, when 206 cases were reported.

The statistics do not separate between trespassing and usurpation of the right to use a property. Squatters (known as okupas) are people who enter the house by forced entry, and usurpation is usually those who already rent, but stop payments.

Some insurance companies are now offering policies against squatters, covering many unpaid bills and other expenses.

Joining the fun

THE deputy mayor of Culture of Palma City Council, Javier Bonet, the coordinator of Culture, Fernando Gómez de la Cuesta, and the director of music and performing arts, Rafel Brunet, attended the the 19th anniversary party of Bar Flexas, which was held on Friday, July 14 in Palma City centre.

The party had the support of Palma City Council, and was in tribute this year to Fernando Estrella, the popular artist and chef from Mallorca who died in February 2023. The Flexas party in the Parc de Mar began with refreshments in front of the bar, and at 8.30pm the music and party began.

CALVIA Town Hall has announced the intention to create a new plainclothes police unit, which should begin operation during August.

The councillor responsible for the police, Esperanza Català, believes that the presence of plainclothes officers will reinforce security and be more effective in tackling night time crime in Magalluf and Santa Ponsa. The councillor with specific responsibility for Magalluf, Manuel Mas, said that there has long been a demand from residents and businesses for an enhanced plainclothes police presence. Procedures need to be followed before the unit can be up and running. These include obtaining mandatory authorisation from the Spanish government’s delegation in the Balearics. Because of this, Català suggested that the unit may not be operational until late August. Català added that the unit will be equipped with tasers. Some officers have asked for these believing they are a good deterrent.