VALVERDE (EL HIERRO), 6th June (EUROPA PRESS) –
Carlos Alonso, the candidate of the Canary Coalition (CC) for the European elections, stated on Friday that “it is crucial to tackle the issue at its roots and assist African nations in creating services and opportunities for their citizens.”
During a visit to El Hierro island, the nationalist candidate emphasised that “the Canary Islands have a significant role on the migration issue. The Government of the Canary Islands has endeavoured to reach out, knock on the doors of Brussels to convey the reality, but so far the outcome has been unsatisfactory.”
He further expressed the importance of defining the elements that constitute the migration pact, with one of those elements being care at origin. “We advocate for a platform in the Canary Islands to provide training for young Africans so that they can build their lives in Africa or undergo a training process before arriving in Europe,” highlighted Alonso.
Today, the Atlantic route is “the most crucial and perilous; the mortality rate is alarmingly high, as we have witnessed tonight. The Pact is on the table, it must be executed during this term, with special consideration for the Canary Islands,” he remarked.
The nationalist candidate also announced that CC proposes an international conference to address security issues, discuss reception measures, the loss of lives in transit, and of course, “to seek solutions to this phenomenon.”
Carlos Alonso reiterated the necessity for all EU countries to acknowledge the migratory reality of the Canary Islands “as a southern frontier that belongs not only to the Spanish State but also to the entire EU.”
Concerning the situation of unaccompanied minors, Alonso reiterated that “the EU must take action because these minors do not only arrive in the Canary Islands, they come to Europe and Europe cannot turn a blind eye.”
According to the CC candidate, “visits from commissioners are not sufficient for us, we urge the EU to expedite the administrative distribution of these minors.”
Alonso utilised his visit to El Hierro to engage in several meetings with various economic and social sectors of the island, accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture of the Government of the Canary Islands, Narvay Quintero, and the AHI deputy, Raúl Acosta, among other leaders of the El Hierro formation.
INCREASED FLEXIBILITY FOR FISHERMEN
The candidate affirmed that he will request the European Commission for more leniency towards the restrictions on the island’s fishermen.
According to him, “the European Commission imposes stringent restrictions on our fishermen, citing the necessity to understand the fishing resources before permitting fishing in our waters,” particularly concerning deep-sea fishing.
He stated that fishing in the Canary Islands is predominantly artisanal and operates on significant sustainability standards since “the fishermen themselves are not willing to exploit the resource on which their livelihood depends in an unsustainable manner.”
He has also suggested expanding fishing quotas and enabling the provision of aid for fleet enhancement, to ensure that those dedicated to fishing can sustain their livelihood with efficiency and capacity, ultimately, “so they can continue earning a living from it.”
