The environmental entity Gadma has denounced the proliferation of fixed pergolas and unauthorised cement dumping in the coves of Costa dels Pins, in Son Servera. Spokesperson Bernat Fiol criticises the impunity and the lack of institutional control.
Costa dels Pins, on the eastern coast of Mallorca, has become a showcase for illegal activities that repeat year after year without effective action from the authorities. The environmental entity Gadma has reported that fixed pergolas are being installed without authorisation in small coves in this area of the municipality of Son Servera, and cement is being applied to the rocks to create terraces or facilitate access to the sea, all in violation of the Coastal Law.
Gadma's spokesperson, Bernat Fiol, pointed out that the problem lies in the fact that “laws are made but then it is not checked whether they are complied with; everyone does what they want and nothing happens.” Fiol established a parallel between this privatisation of the coast and the usurpation of public paths by wealthy owners: “They believe that all the land from their houses to the sea is theirs.”
The most emblematic case of this situation has been the swimming pool of journalist Pedro J. Ramírez, which for years symbolised the flagrant non-compliance with the Coastal Law and institutional permissiveness. After a long judicial process initiated by popular initiative, a court ruling ordered its demolition, although the execution is still pending.
Gadma lamented the lack of interest from the competent institutions to enforce the laws. According to Fiol, after consulting with the Ministry of the Sea and the Water Cycle of the Govern, technicians have confirmed that “there is no record of any authorisation” for the reported activities. However, the department has stated that “it does not have the authority to open sanctioning files,” although it can prepare a report that is sent to the territorial demarcation of Coasts.
“If the Govern has no authority, someone should do something because at this rate we will be left without a coast; everything will be cement,” Gadma has denounced, encouraging citizens to attend the demonstration this Sunday against tourist saturation.
For its part, the Ministry of the Sea and the Water Cycle declined to comment when this newspaper attempted to obtain its version. Instead, sources from the Coasts demarcation explained that they have no record of having received any complaint or communication from Gadma regarding these alleged irregularities, although they assure that some cases “had already been the subject of previous complaints and are currently undergoing the corresponding sanctioning procedure, with files in processing.”
The same sources added that the territorial demarcation of Coasts “continuously carries out monitoring and control tasks of the Balearic coastline, using all available material and personnel resources.” They also emphasised that “the collaboration of citizens, entities, and other institutions is essential” for the protection of the coastline.
The situation in Costa dels Pins reflects a recurring conflict on the Mallorcan coast: urban pressure and the lack of effective control over properties facing the sea. For the residents of Son Servera and the rest of the island, these actions represent a loss of natural spaces and a detriment to the public maritime-terrestrial domain. The demonstration this Sunday against tourist saturation will be an opportunity to highlight this issue and demand greater monitoring and sanctioning of illegalities.
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