This coming Tuesday, the Balearic Parliament is due to approve the government’s administrative simplification law.
Introduced as a decree in May, an aspect of this wide-ranging law is the simplification of procedures for construction. In this regard there are articles that relate to development in areas of potential flood risk. Under certain conditions, these articles contemplate permission for development. However, when the law comes before parliament on Tuesday, these articles are now expected to be removed.
Events in Valencia have forced a government rethink, the vice-president, Antoni Costa, saying on Friday that there will be “modifications to give the maximum guarantees of security and prevention”.
Parliamentary procedure is such that when a bill is at the advanced stage as this one is, there can be no opposition demand to revise its text when it is to be voted on. Any textual amendment has to be negotiated and agreed ahead of the parliamentary session.
There is a willingness among the various political parties to reach agreement on the final text that will be presented on Tuesday. Vox is understood to be willing, despite its climate change denial. Statements by Costa and the president, Marga Prohens, have explicitly referred to the catastrophe in Valencia having been a consequence of climate change.
