SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 20 March (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Canary Islands Parliament has unanimously passed a non-binding proposal put forward by the Popular Group on Wednesday, urging the Government of the Canary Islands to bring a conflict of powers issue before the Constitutional Court (TC) following the decision to revoke the administrative concession of the Hotel Riu Oliva Beach. This move shows support for the approximately 400 employees of the hotel.
Deputy Fernando Enseñat, who presented the proposal, stated that the aim of this initiative is to protect and stand by the employees of the Hotel Riu Oliva Beach and the Hotel Riu Palace Tres Islas, establishments that have long been targeted and threatened by the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
Fernando Enseñat accused the Pedro Sánchez government of persisting in its efforts to demolish these hotels without respecting the autonomy granted to the Canary Islands by belittling the powers of the Coastal authority transferred to the autonomous community since January 2023. He highlighted the government’s perceived inability to manage Canarian issues effectively.
Through this proposal, it is requested to immediately bring the conflict of powers issue before the TC to challenge a Spanish government that is disregarding the Canary Islands government. It also aims to demonstrate support and commitment to the almost 800 employees of both hotels after years of struggle.
While socialist deputy Rafael Nogales supported the proposal, he refuted claims that the Ministry of Ecological Transition is persecuting or harassing Oliva Beach workers, emphasizing that the real issue lies in potential irregularities related to renovations at the hotel.
Representative Raúl Acosta from the Mixed Group expressed regret at calls to exhaust dialogue avenues when workers and business owners are experiencing economic setbacks due to an unresolved administrative issue. He stressed the importance of finding a timely solution to the problem.
Melodie Mendoza, from the Gomera Socialist Group, agreed that time is of the essence and advocated for bringing the conflict of powers before the TC, while also supporting the need to reach an agreement with state authorities as swiftly as possible for a quicker resolution.
Natalia Santana of the NC-BC described the Ministry’s decision as excessive and urged the government to utilize all available resources, including resorting to the bilateral commission comprising the Ministry of Territorial Policy, led by a Canarian minister.
Paula Jover from the Vox Group backed the Popular Party’s proposal but expressed doubts about the efficacy of the bilateral commission, voicing concerns about the matter potentially ending up in the Constitutional Court.
Lastly, Jana González from the Canary Nationalist Group emphasized that this non-binding proposal serves as a declaration of support for the Oliva Beach staff, reflecting the government’s unwavering commitment to defending its people, no matter the circumstances.