MALLORCA TODAY - Tourism ministry slammed over Pollensa festival

The Alternativa per Pollença party has criticised the Balearic Government tourism ministry and Carlos Delgado the tourism minister in particular for its "lies" in respect of funding that was due to have been made available for the Pollensa Music Festival this year. The festival had been set to receive 180,000 euros of emergency funding, assistance that the ministry seemed happy to grant on account of what it described as the important promotional role that the festival plays. However, a "contest" established by the ministry to arbitrate on the value of different artistic events has not "scored" the festival highly enough for it to merit the full award, so Pollensa town hall is being left to foot much of a bill that it seemed unable to meet prior to the ministry saying that it would help. It was aid from the ministry that helped to stage this year's festival, which, at one point, looked as though it might not take place. The funding crisis for the festival and the ministry's stance add to uncertainty surrounding the future of the festival.