Menorca Council faces criticism over language and web domain policies

Political tensions have risen in Menorca regarding linguistic and digital policies implemented by the Consell Insular. The opposition group Més per Menorca has criticized a recent file that seeks to protect the Menorquí dialect, labeling it an “attack on the language” under the guise of false protection. Coordinator Esteve Barceló expressed concern that the initiative promotes linguistic homogenization through standard Catalan rather than addressing actual threats to the local dialect.

Further controversy surrounds the decision to abandon the “.cat” domain for official institutional websites. Councilor Joan Pons Torres justified the move to the “.es” domain as a cost-saving measure intended to reduce unnecessary IT management expenses. However, critics note that the transition has left several official portals, including the Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory, outdated or redirected to unofficial content.

The PSOE has also voiced opposition, calling for more scientific criteria and consensus in language protection. They criticized the Council for using language as a “tool for political confrontation” while simultaneously implementing a moratorium on Catalan language accreditation for Council employees.