Antich disregards Menorca in general political debate

He was speaking in the Balearic Parliament in Palma, last Tuesday, on the occasion of the Convertida en el Teruel de las Balears. This is an occasion that occurs just once a year and much attention is given to the content of the President's speech.

The criticism from a number of groups within the parliament highlighted the way in which he shied away from the reality of the current economic situation and failed to offer concrete proposals or propose the solutions to problems that exist in crucial economic areas. Such themes as agriculture, fishing, stock rearing, the environment, the extension of strategic infrastructure and the promotion of tourism, so important to the people of Menorca, were all omitted. He offered a battery of statistics but failed to mention the solutions to the problems that such statistics reveal.

Above all he was heavily criticized for his failure to make references to the smaller islands. In an analysis of his keynote speech it transpires that he referred to Menorca on only two occasions, the same amount of emphasis that was given in his speech to Catalunya and València. Oblique references were made to projects in Alaior and Ciutadella.

One critic accused him of living in Wonderland. Another stated that Menorca is at the end of the Balearic Archipelago and at the end of the Spanish queue for help. It is as if the island does not exist in the general politics of the islands voiced another critic.

His use of trite phrases such as "the worst of the crisis has passed" and the idea of opportunities offered by the crisis did not endear him to many. His analysis of the Balearic economy is seen as having an air of complacency.