There's more of them all the time, on both sides. More and more foreigners, especially Germans, want a second residence on the island. And the Majorcan opposition is also growing more and more. (see photograph below: an ironic ad appeared in the local newspapers: "Island in the Mediterranean for sale"). While some busily hunt down real-estate, well equipped with luxury brochures as thick as telephone directories and a fat check book in their pockets, others are trying to get restrictions passed regarding the amount of property foreigners are allowed to buy. After all, thirty percent of the properties in the areas of Tramuntana and Llevant, the municipalities of Artà (see photo) and Capdepera belong to foreigners. For the first time ever, this subject was covered in a thirty minute special program on Radio Nacional de España, it was the theme of an open debate between both factions at the Club del Diario de Mallorca, the town of Artà is preparing a counterattack and on March 10th the President of the Government of the Balearic Islands, Jaume Matas is going to present the problem before the representatives of the Foreign Ministry in Berlin.
Things are hot and it is crucial to establish a series of rules and regulations on the subject, and fast. Because the problem is more complex than one would imagine at hearing that rather significant statement "where there's someone wanting to buy there's also someone willing to sell". On the one hand, all citizens have the right to chose their place of residence in the EU, on the other, the limited size of the area discussed here. There's the interest and the means available to restore buildings in dire need of it, and also the importance of maintaining age-old values and traditions, essential contributions to the island's charm. Aside from this for some Majorcan families with lots of family ties, the sale of an estate is the only way they can distribute a family inheritance fairly. Due to the great demand and the constantly rising real-estate prices, it ends up being virtually impossible to buy a family home. 
And a Mallorca empty of Majorcans is really the last thing all these new German residents looking for an alternative to the stress of modern-day life would like to find.

Mallorca and Spain's sport world have a new national hero. The self-confidence with which the Majorcan Carlos Moyá (see photo) satisfied all expectations by almost single-handedly beating the German team at the Davis Cup was quite impressing. 6:4, 6:3 and 6:3 against Marc-Kevin Goellner; 6:4, 6:4 and 7:5 against Hendrik Dreekmann - without losing a single set and without a single break, Spain's new tennis star, currently num. 9 in the world ranking, lead the German players -- whose playing lacked inspiration, zeal and spirit -- to the shower stalls. And the answer is by no means only Cala Ratjada's court, which was well equipped slow surfaces, which, according to German coach Niki Pilic, is the type of terrain for which Spain's team is the best in the world. Ex-champion Björn Bork, is quoted from an ad in Time magazine: "Moya can become a Great Star." And the player himself: "I can play much better".

Majorcan politics sometimes take the most amazing turns! After the public prosecutor passed a bill of indictment condemning ex-President Gabriel Cañellas (who gave up all political responsibilities in the summer of '95) to a year of prison and bail of 200 million pesetas for his presumed connection with the Sóller Tunnel case (see Mallorca News No. 13 and 20), his friends in the party have quickly launched a campaign to collect funds for the ex Most Honorable's bail (words to the cartoon: "....a small donation for a poor millionaire. It will be used exclusively to bail him out. Don't you have any feelings?").
But the best of it all is that this motion had no support from the party on a national level, it was a local spontaneous surge of solidarity. Outcome: the Government in Madrid is quite annoyed by their offspring on the Islands!