Ibiza’s Consell and Ibiza Town Hall have publicly backed their transport inspectors and Local Police following a dispute over a taxi licensed in Palma that was reported while in Ibiza.

The controversy began after the vehicle was reported by Ibiza Local Police on August 27 for allegedly operating in the city without the required municipal authorisation. The case has since escalated into a public disagreement between Ibiza authorities and the Federació Independent del Taxi de les Illes Balears (FITIB), whose president accused the inspection action of having a “xenophobic appearance.”

What Happened to the Palma Taxi?

According to Ibiza Town Hall, the taxi was detected operating in Ibiza without the necessary local authorisation.

The driver was reported for a very serious infringement under Ibiza's municipal taxi regulations and could face a fine of between €1,001 and €6,000. Authorities also said the case could fall under Balearic transport legislation, which treats operating without the required municipal permission or picking up customers without the appropriate licence as a very serious offence.

The Consell's Transport Inspection Service was also involved in the operation.

Palma Taxi Association Disputes the Account

However, the Palma taxi association has strongly disputed the authorities' interpretation of events.

FITIB president Biel Moragues said the vehicle was carrying seven Palma taxi drivers who had travelled to Ibiza for a private lunch, with the group planning to return to Mallorca the same day.

He said the group had return ferry tickets as evidence and insisted that the taxi had not been working or looking for customers.

Moragues acknowledged that the vehicle should not have been parked at a taxi rank, but argued that this did not mean it was operating commercially in Ibiza. He also criticised the way the incident was handled and said the association would challenge the potential sanction.

The Xenophobia Dispute

The disagreement became more heated when Moragues publicly questioned the conduct of the inspectors and described the intervention as having a possible “xenophobic” appearance.

The Consell has rejected that accusation and demanded an immediate correction.

Ibiza's Councillor for Territory, Mobility and Road Infrastructure, Mariano Juan, called the allegation “absolutely unacceptable” and defended the inspectors' professionalism.

He argued that disagreeing with an administrative sanction and challenging it through the appropriate procedures is one thing, while accusing public officials of having xenophobic motivations is another.

The Consell stressed that the person involved has the right to submit allegations, evidence and appeals through the normal administrative process.

Ibiza Town Hall Also Backs the Inspectors

Ibiza Town Hall has also expressed its support for the inspectors and Local Police.

Mobility Councillor Rubén Sousa said the municipality fully supports the joint work being carried out to enforce transport regulations and combat unfair competition.

He argued that inspectors and officers should be able to carry out their duties without their professionalism being publicly questioned simply because a particular intervention is disputed.

A Wider Ibiza Transport Crackdown

The dispute comes during an intensified summer campaign against illegal and unauthorised passenger transport on the island.

Ibiza authorities have been carrying out joint inspections involving the Consell's transport inspectors and Local Police, targeting issues including illegal taxis, VTCs operating outside the rules and other unauthorised passenger transport.

Just days before this controversy, inspectors reported 11 further transport violations with proposed penalties totalling around €60,000, including cases involving VTCs allegedly picking up customers without prior registration and two alleged pirate taxis.

Another overnight operation subsequently resulted in €27,400 in proposed sanctions involving five vehicles, including an allegedly illegal passenger transport vehicle and a VTC accused of improperly picking up customers.

What Happens Next?

The Palma taxi case is now a matter for the relevant administrative process.

The authorities maintain that the vehicle was operating without the required authorisation, while the Palma taxi association maintains that it was being used for a private trip and that no passengers were being sought.

The potential sanction can be challenged through the established procedures, meaning the dispute is not a final finding of wrongdoing at this stage.

The episode nevertheless highlights the tensions surrounding Ibiza's transport sector during the peak summer season, when demand for taxis and other passenger services is at its highest and authorities are stepping up efforts to prevent unauthorised operators from working on the island.