Invitations have been extended by the Canarian Government to the spokespeople of Congressional groups to visit the islands and witness the migratory situation directly.
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, January 31. (EUROPA PRESS) –
In a meeting, all factions in the Canary Islands Parliament, with the exception of Vox, have endorsed the proposal from the Canarian Government to advocate before the Cortes Generales the development of a Royal Decree Law, making the transfer of migrant minors to other autonomous communities mandatory. This proposal has also been supported by the Ministry of Youth and Children.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Minister of Social Welfare, Candelaria Delgado, emphasized the “conciliatory” attitude of all factions and the “broad consensus,” from which Vox has distanced itself. Vox warned that compulsory distribution of minors would benefit “criminal organizations” and lead to “trafficking” of children.
The minister emphasized the necessity of the royal decree law due to its shorter processing period, as the Canary Islands currently have around 5,500 unaccompanied minors under guardianship, in addition to pending arrivals of boats.
Delgado emphasized that immigration represents a “structural challenge,” necessitating actions to be taken at the State and European Union level, as well as collaboration with the countries of origin to economically “strengthen” these nations and establish “regular access pathways” to Europe.
The legislative proposal will soon undergo approval by the Government Council and will be submitted to the Canary Islands Parliament for deliberation, aiming to present a text of “consensus” with all factions, as noted by the minister.
Additionally, both the Government and Parliament will request the Board of Spokespersons of Congress to visit the Canary Islands to gain firsthand knowledge of the immigration situation on the islands.
ASG Urges Setting Aside Ideology
Commenting on the issue, Casimiro Curbelo, spokesperson for the Gomera Socialist Group (ASG), stated that immigration “surpasses” the forecasts of the autonomous community, as it is challenging to accommodate over 5,600 unaccompanied foreign minors across 70 centers.
He criticized the fact that 16 people die daily trying to reach the islands, demanding increased attention to Africa.
Regarding the legislative modification, he emphasized that “reception undoubtedly has to occur in the Canary Islands, but guardianship automatically becomes the responsibility of the receiving autonomous community for migrants arriving in the Canary Islands.”
Curbelo agreed that the most suitable and expedient path is that of the Royal Decree Law, as it allows for simple modification of certain articles, whereas amending organic laws would be much more complex.
He stressed the necessity for the Canary Islands Parliament to pursue “a unified stance,” as addressing this issue requires sensitivity and a nonpartisan approach. “At some point, we need to set aside ideologies to resolve a problem that distresses and burdens the Canary Islands,” he added.
Raúl Acosta, spokesperson for the Mixed Group (AHI), expressed weariness at witnessing something that “violated the constitution” – referring to the amnesty law. He pointed out that El Hierro is “completely overwhelmed,” emphasizing the absence of a sense of State, which exacerbates the severe situation.
Sebastián Franquis, spokesperson for the Socialist Group, stressed the necessity for a “national response” to the immigration “crisis” experienced by the Canary Islands, underscoring the need for “extensive consensus by all.”
In alignment with the Executive’s proposal, he emphasized the importance of securing the support of the “majority” of political forces in the Canary Islands Parliament, and subsequently rallying that position with other political parties in the Congress of Deputies.
José Miguel Barragán, spokesperson for the Nationalist Group, underscored that the reception of migrant minors is a “national issue.” He expressed support for the proposed legislative modification and the need to convince the spokespeople of different groups in Congress, who ultimately hold responsibility for the process.
NC-BC: Structural Measures are Essential
Luis Campos, spokesperson for NC-BC, positioned in support of the Canarian Government in the face of the “lack of solidarity” and “insensitivity” regarding the distribution of unaccompanied migrant minors, highlighting the necessity of a legal obligation.
He underscored that this situation not only affects the Canary Islands but also Andalusia, Ceuta, or Melilla, advocating for a “definitive solution” across all territories.
He emphasized the need to initiate a total effort to garner support from the Congressional groups for the proposal, urging the President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, to explore the stance of other regional presidents.
“This isn’t a crisis; it’s a reality that will persist in the coming years. Hence, it requires not just temporary but structural measures,” he remarked.
Luz Reverón (PP) highlighted that the Canary Islands are “isolated” in addressing the migration crisis, as only three communities “led by the PP” have offered to shelter migrants. She proposed distributing among all autonomous communities “without exception” under “objective and quantifiable criteria,” with funding assumed by the central Government, while criticizing the “superficial solidarity” of the Minister of Territorial Policy, Ángel Víctor Torres, noting the absence of offering to host migrant minors from socialist communities.
VOX: Fuelling Criminal Organizations
Nicasio Galván, spokesperson for Vox, expressed disappointment with the document, as it does not address the core problem. He asserted that the focus should be on immediately repatriating any illegal immigrant reaching Spanish coasts, as failure to do so would lead to a domino effect and countless deaths in the Atlantic.
He stressed that neglecting this action will “fuel the enrichment of criminal organizations,” detailing that the proposed decree is the “missing link” for promoting human and minor trafficking.
Galván warned that they would arrange trips with “their clients” to bring them to the Canary Islands, banking on the assurance that the Canarian and Spanish Governments would handle their transfer to the Peninsula.
He underlined the exorbitant cost of over 10 million euros per month for migrant minors, excluding health and education expenses, which he deemed a “substantial” amount for one of the “poorest” communities in Spain.
