MALLORCA TODAY - Pro-Catalan festival in Sa Pobla

The battle over the language is intensifying, but yesterday in Sa Pobla it was one of a festival atmosphere as the Moviment per la Llengua opened its campaign against the regional government's planned changes to the law regarding Catalan. Politicians from different parties, including some from the Partido Popular, took part.

And also in Sa Pobla, there has been a remembrance for four "poblers" who were killed by Franco's Nationalist forces in 1937. This was organised by Pinyol Vermell, a group which, it might be recalled, caused some controversy in Sa Pobla some time ago by inviting someone convicted of association with ETA to speak in the town.

See more: Diario de Mallorca

MALLORCA TODAY - Catalan defence demonstration in Sa Pobla

The recently formed Moviment per la Llengua with leading current and former Partido Popular politicians at its helm is to stage a demonstration in defence of Catalan and its use in the public sector in Sa Pobla on Sunday. The choice of Sa Pobla in this protest against Balearic Government reforms is symbolic as Sa Pobla has arguably the strongest association with Catalan among towns in Mallorca.

See more: Diario de Mallorca

MALLORCA TODAY - Language Movement in defence of Catalan formed

Current and former members of the Partido Popular have come together to create the "Moviment per la Llengua" to counter the Balearic Government's proposed changes to the law as it applies to the use of Catalan in the public sector. Prominent in this movement are Antoni Pastor, mayor of Manacor, Cristòfol Soler, for a time the president of the Balearics in the 1990s, and Jaume Font, formerly a member of the PP who left the party because of disagreements with the now president, Jóse Bauzá, and formed his own party, La Lliga. Politicians from other parties have also signed up to the movement, including the ex-PSOE president of the islands, Francesc Antich.