Ibiza curfew after state of alarm in the hands of justice system

The president of the Government, Francina Armengol, is awaiting a ruling from the High Court of Justice of the Balearic Islands (TSJB) on what measures she can continue to apply to contain the coronavirus from next Monday 10th of May on the islands, and the regional government is extremely worried. The rejection by the public prosecutor’s office has set off alarm bells in the government, not so much because of the opposition to the curfew, but because of a measure that was taken for granted and on which the whole restrictive structure is based: the limitation of the maximum number of people at social and family gatherings. If the measure is dropped, the whole architecture of restrictions in the archipelago will be shaken and could force a drastic change of strategy by the government.

The government yesterday consulted the TSJB, which has so far approved all the restrictions applied on the islands, on what measures it can continue to apply once the state of alarm has been lifted, with doubts mainly focused on the curfew, health controls at the airport for national passengers and the maximum number of people at social, family and religious gatherings. While the doubts seemed to be concentrated on the curfew, the Public Prosecutor’s Office has set off all the alarms by also questioning the limitation on social and family gatherings.

“We have consulted the TSJB and now it is up to them to make a decision,” said President Armengol when asked about the position of the public prosecutor’s office, warning that “if the TSJB says it cannot be applied, it cannot be applied and we can only look for other alternative measures”. The government of Pedro Sánchez has already ruled out giving cover to the communities to maintain the restrictions that fall on Sunday.