The Mallorcan lawyer, politician and writer,
Josep Melià, died on
Saturday morning at his home in Alcanada (Port d'Alcúdia) after a long
illness. Josep Melià i Pericàs was born in Artà on March 19, 1939.
With a scholarship from the Joan March Foundation he studied Law at the
Law School in Madrid, graduating in 1962. He also studied journalism at
the Official School in Madrid and obtained his certificates in 1965. In
1976 he was one of the founders of the Partit Nacionalista de Mallorca
and led the candidacy for the Unió Autonomista in the general elections
of 1977. He integrated into UCD and was one of Adolfo Suárez's team.
He was designated as general director for Informative Relationship
(1979), secretary of State for Information and speaker for the
Government with the right to attend cabinet meetings (1980). Finally he
was the Government Delegate for Catalunya between 1980 and 1981.
He was the author of "Els mallorquins" (1963) and the "La nació dels
mallorquins" (1977) and until his death was a lawyer who specialised in
Administrative Law, being the vice president of Unió Mallorquina (UM),
and since 1996 he formed part of the editorial board of the Diari de
Balears.
Amongst his decorations are the Gran Cruz del Mérito Civil, the Creu de
Sant Jordi from the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Premi Ramon Llull from
the Govern Balear and the Doctored Honoris Causa from the Balearic
University.
