The Island Council of Menorca has accused Spain’s Ministry of Culture of submitting external reports to UNESCO without the endorsement of the Council’s technical experts. According to Joan Pons Torres, Councillor for Culture, Education, Youth and Sports, the move was intended to provoke a negative opinion and harm the road improvement project on the Rafal Rubí section.

Pons Torres described the Ministry’s action as “a political maneuver” that jeopardizes the Talayotic Menorca heritage designation and represents “a serious act of disloyalty toward the island and its civil servants.” He pointed out that the reports sent include false claims—such as stating that construction work was halted in 2014 due to its visual impact on the landscape—when, in fact, it was the contractor who stopped the works. He also noted that the reports misrepresented the position of the Scientific Council of the Talayotic Menorca Agency, which had largely voted in favor of the heritage impact assessment.

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Menorca accuses Spain’s Ministry of Culture of sending reports to UNESCO without technical approval and vows to complete the Rafal Rubí road project

The councillor further denounced the lack of transparency from the Ministry, claiming that the Council had not been informed about the documentation submitted to ICOMOS or UNESCO. “We suspect that the positive reports issued by our Roads and Heritage departments were not sent. If that’s the case, it would be extremely serious,” he said.

Pons Torres confirmed that the Council will proceed with the Rafal Rubí road reform, emphasizing that after eight years of delays, the project will be completed with the highest standards of landscape and heritage protection. “We won’t back down. The safety of Menorcans comes first,” he stated.

He also referred to a legal report concluding that the Rafal Rubí bridge cannot be demolished, since leaving it unfinished could lead to legal liability in the event of a serious accident. “The bridge will be completed, and the road project will move forward, always prioritizing the safety of Menorca’s residents,” he concluded.