SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 11 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The president of the Cabildo of Tenerife, Rosa Dávila (CC), has urged the central government to exhibit “nobility, common sense and political accountability” and to join the migration agreement signed between the Government of the Canary Islands and the PP.
During a press conference to disclose the decisions of the Government Council, she remarked that this arrangement offers an “effective response and respectful treatment” to migrants, ensuring distribution aligned with the reception capacities of the autonomous communities.
In this context, she stated that “it is now the responsibility of the central government to advance” and prioritise human rights above “political games”, as well as to terminate the “colonial treatment” imposed on the Canary Islands, which seems intent on using the archipelago as a “repository” for migrants in a large “refugee camp”.
She noted that the agreement established with the PP entails “no more centres and no more tents,” and has consequently retracted her earlier opposition to the utilisation of two unused military facilities in La Laguna for accommodating unaccompanied minor migrants.
The president mentioned that the mayor of La Laguna, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez (PSOE), has echoed similar sentiments but has clarified that “this is not a municipal policy” and emphasised that the issue lies in the fact that the Canary Islands lack sufficient “capacity”.
Furthermore, she remarked that the Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, “is unfit to engage in dialogue” with the Government of the Canary Islands, given that his sole intent appears to be “disrupting” the regional administration when “he should be the first to staunchly uphold” an agreement and “prevent conflict.”
The Vice President of the Cabildo, Lope Afonso (PP), highlighted that the pact between the PP and the Canary Islands Government represents a “significant advancement” in addressing an “intolerable situation” in the islands and illustrates that through “determination and dialogue,” an agreement can be established that connects up to 13 autonomous communities.
Afonso expressed hope that this will serve as the “final impetus” for finding a resolution and that the Government will set aside the “partisan opposition” and “complete disregard” with which it has dealt with the Canary Islands on migration issues since the last legislature, even when PSOE has led the main institutions in the archipelago.
