The mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and nationalist legislator, José Manuel Bermúdez, successfully garnered the support of the plenary sitting of the Canary Islands Parliament for a Non-Law Proposition (PNL) yesterday. With 56 votes in favour and 4 abstentions, the Regional Executive is urged to “protect, conserve, and ensure the continuity of the distinctive components” of the carnivals in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, “especially those related to the traditional venues of celebration.”
Similarly, the proposal calls on the Government “to establish appropriate regulations pertaining to noise and environmental preservation that explicitly lay out the criteria these aforementioned festivals must adhere to,” both of which are acknowledged as being of International Tourist Interest. In essence, “clear regulations tailored to the urban setting” are sought to provide mayors with “legal certainty for the carnivals to flourish optimally, while retaining their uniqueness,” explained Bermúdez.
The mayor highlighted “the challenges the Carnival has faced throughout its history, some of which remain unresolved.” However, to preclude future hazards, he acknowledged the possibility that “certain festivals may need to relocate from their traditional sites”, a consequence stemming from last year’s ruling by the Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC), which prohibited the Day Carnival from taking place on the streets of the old town of Vegueta due to the distressing noise levels experienced by residents, as reported by DIARIO DE AVISOS.
