The mayor of Níjar, José Francisco Garrido, has made a public appeal to passenger transport companies to collaborate in preventing mass travel and the holding of 'macrobotellones' (large-scale drinking parties) during the Agua Amarga festivals, which take place this weekend. This request follows similar incidents experienced in La Isleta del Moro last summer, prompting the council to demand 'sensitivity and awareness' for the protection of this environment.
Garrido appealed to the 'sector's responsibility' to prevent 'totally undesirable' situations from recurring. He recalled that the City Council respects companies' right to operate but emphasized that neither the rights of Níjar's residents nor the conservation of a protected and vulnerable area like the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park should be jeopardized. The defense of the well-being of the people of Níjar and the conservation of the natural environment must take precedence over any other activity, seeking a balance between legitimate business profit and its social and environmental impacts.
The council trusts in the 'good conduct of these companies' to prevent the organization of mass travel for 'macrobotellones' within the Natural Park. They are urged to coordinate with the City Council and the Governing Board of the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park for the proper organization of trips during these sensitive dates. The objective is to avoid another 'total collapse' in an urban center of the Park, preventing environmental and social impact in an area declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO and endowed with numerous protection statuses due to its high ecological, landscape, and cultural value.
Finally, the City Council expects 'collaboration to avoid mass tourism and drinking parties' in an area not designed to absorb such a volume of visitors.
