The PP's Oil Crisis

All was going so well. The king was in his palace and Mallorca's politicarrati was queuing up to wish him and Tizzy a happy holiday. Bauzá, Isern, Salom, they all came and went, the first of these pausing to inform the press that the king is well apprised of issues regarding the Balearics. Such as the oil prospecting issue. Bauzá let the king know that the Balearics just say no to oil. But then there was the blowout. Oil was splattered all over the PP. The black stuff hit the fan and then fell on Bauzá and environment minister Company. Someone let it be known that in April last year, and possibly also in July last year, there had been test explorations for oil in the turquoise waters off the Balearics, those which must be solely reserved for tourists, as the president has consistently argued. And no one had thought it necessary to seek permission to do so or to inform the public. Bauzá denied everything and blamed Company. He is only the president, after all.

With oily egg on faces and with the king no doubt wondering if he had been told a porky, government spokesperson Nuria Riera attempted a Red Adair act in seeking to cap the blowout. She fights fires here, she fights fires there, Red Riera insisted that it had all been part of gathering evidence against oil prospecting. So, there was nothing wrong with the tests, even if she seemed uncertain as to who had actually authorised them, given that the government has - she added - not authorised any action regarding surveys. It was, therefore and as usual, all rather confusing. But we can expect minister Company, once he's washed the oil out of his hair, to get in front of parliament next week and give a clearer explanation. Or possibly not.

The oil crisis was nevertheless eased somewhat thanks to Mariano Rajoy making his annual pilgrimage to Mallorca to meet the king - same holidays, same palace, different monarch - and announcing that if there is a risk from oil prospecting around the Balearics, it will not go ahead. All good stuff, therefore, for Bauzá, who is is in need of any good stuff nowadays and all good PP boys together. Over in the Canaries, where the president Rivero is anything but a good PP boy, they were hopping mad at the statement. The black sands of Lanzarote might yet get blacker, they fear.