For Deyà this is a clear case of blackmail and one to which the hotel will not accede. The management will take the appropriate legal measures for dealing with a situation that potentially sets a dangerous precedent for Mallorca's hotel sector.
According to one of them, he has been squatting since November. Another one of the four has apparently been there since December. The hotel management believe that this is impossible. The first the management knew about the squatters was last Sunday. At the end of October, when the hotel closed for the season, the water and electricity were cut off.
Meanwhile, and with the Guardia Civil or police a permanent presence in the area, some maintenance work is being carried out. This includes repairing or changing locks.
On Thursday, the Balearic tourism minister, Jaume Bauzá, visited the hotel. He was able to speak to the oldest of the squatters, Antonio, and told him that the solution for his situation was not to squat but to go to social services. Antonio told the minister he understood his position, adding "we don't want problems" and suggesting that the hotel was "coercing" them.
Andrew Ede
