SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Aug. 28 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Government of the Canary Islands has sent letters to the Ministries of Migration, Interior and Foreign Affairs to request an “urgent meeting” before the “new wave” in the arrival of migrants to the coasts of the islands.
This was stated at the press conference after the Governing Council by the spokesman for the Executive, Alfonso Cabello, who pointed out that the increase in arrivals is “worrying” because in the month of August alone, they have more than doubled, at 2,692 people were rescued compared to 1,075 in the same month last year –1,000 of them only in El Hierro–.
Given the good weather conditions and the usual “calms” of the sea in September and October, the NGOs have warned the Canarian Executive that the number of small boats and canoes will increase significantly, also driven by the “famine” in the West Africa and the political “instability” in the Sahel and Senegal, Cabello has indicated.
The regional spokesperson believes that irregular immigration is “on the verge of a dramatic intensification” and understands that “it is an issue that cannot wait for the ministers to clarify whether they are in office or to form a new government, the pressure is maximum”.
He has also indicated that with minors the situation “is more serious” since so far this year 1,598 have already arrived and only 346 have moved in two and a half years when in 2022, in a sectoral conference, the referral of 340 to other communities and only 17 have been mobilized.
Cabello has insisted that the situation is “worrying” and understands that the “abandonment” of the central government cannot be allowed, even more so when “the worst is yet to come” in the months of September and October and the ministries “do not give answers “.
He has pointed out that the Canary Islands “need an answer” to find out how many reception places he needs and in the case of minors, he has announced that there will be a meeting with councils, town halls and CEAR representatives to study the accommodation resources that are available .
“They are leaving the Canary Islands alone, it is a Spanish problem and a problem for the whole of Europe, and beyond the interim government, it must be addressed decisively,” he indicated.
DIFFICULTIES IN PREPARING THE BUDGET
Cabello has shown himself, in the same sense, about the difficulties in preparing next year’s budgets given the “interim” situation of the Government.
“We do not have a spending ceiling and there are uncertainties, but we are working on our budget to present them in a timely manner, we cannot stop. We are subject to the ministers temporarily putting aside their concern about forming a government and putting themselves within their powers,” he said. .
