The nautical sector versus José María Urrutia

The sector of the recreational yachting, represented by its principal associations, has expressed their regret and indignation at the recent declarations by the President of the Balearic Port Authority (APB) Mr José María Urrutia, who claims that "the nautical sector moves a considerable amount of black money".

According to the statement by the associations, "such a claim, gratuitous and totally unjustified, constitutes a serious accusation towards the nautical companies, who try to survive in the middle of the deep economical crisis and fight to generate jobs and wellbeing despite the unbearable money collecting fervour by the Port Authority, whose inflexible and arrogant policies do not in any kind of way correspond with the acts of support that the President of the Government promised for the nautical sector".

The representatives of the sector believe that Mr Urrutia, whether of his own free will or by poor advice, has attacked against the nautical sector, which he is supposed serve, without either a foundation or a reason, casting a shadow of doubt and suspicion over the companies that operate in the ports. It is a question of an unfortunate declaration that should have political consequences.

In the statement, the associations retaliate by putting forth that "the current team at the Balearic Port Authority is the least qualified to talk about black money, when their actual area manager and ex-director, Mr Angel Matias Mateos, to our knowledge still hasn´t explained the origin of all the cash found at an inspection in his home by the Anti-corruption Prosecutor during the Operation Poseidon, which was widely reported in the media".

Neither does the nautical sector share Sr. Urrutia´s outrageous thesis that the price of the moorings "is not determining factor for a nautical tourist when choosing a destination", a claim that disqualifies itself.

The statement continues by explaining that "unfortunately the collected data shows that the Balearics are the second last Mediterranean destination of preference in the German market. To think that the tourists feel obliged to come to the Balearics and that the price doesn´t matter, shows how far the directors of the Port Authority have distanced themselves from the reality."

Read the complete article in Mallorcadiario.