Santa Cruz de Tenerife 29 Mar. (Europa Press) –
Fernando Clavijo, the leader of the Canary Islands Government, expressed this Saturday that he possesses no “doubt” regarding the progress of the validation of the Royal Decree, which necessitates the compulsory distribution of unaccompanied migrant minors, advancing in Congress on April 10. Furthermore, he expressed hopes that, in light of recent judicial outcomes, like that of the Supreme Court, there will be “more votes and that it constitutes a State Agreement.”
“I hold no doubt (that it will progress), and I sincerely hope that, following the constitutional ruling, in conjunction with that decree law and the implications of the Supreme Court’s verdict, we can secure even greater support and that it culminates in a State Agreement, which I believe it ought to be,” stated the Canarian President to the press after announcing his intention to run for re-election as Secretary General of CC.
When asked if he had additional information concerning the deadline for communities to certify unaccompanied minor migrants, which concludes this Monday, he responded that the Canary Islands submitted their certification yesterday, detailing the number of minors, the available resources, and the degree of occupancy. “The Government of Spain will need to account for which communities have complied and which have not, as this is critical in determining the ordinary capacity that various autonomous communities need to possess,” he noted.
Concurrently, regarding the Supreme Court ruling issued on Wednesday, which granted the State ten days to take care of over a thousand unaccompanied asylum-seeking migrants currently under the jurisdiction of the archipelago’s minor protection services, he emphasised that “the ruling must be adhered to, as must the application of Article 35, because it is already law, as it has been published.”
Thus, when probed about whether the State had communicated any information regarding the implementation of the Supreme Court ruling, he mentioned having had a discussion with the Minister of Youth and Childhood, Sira Rego, who informed him that the issue is being managed among the various relevant ministries involved, with the Ministry of Territorial Policy being responsible for coordinating the efforts, as he clarified, “carefully.”
“Let’s not forget that these are not merely unaccompanied foreigners, but they are also within the State International Protection Network System,” Clavijo remarked, urging “care” in handling a situation where “a second displacement” could occur for minors, children who “may already be in school or even living with Canary families.”
“Had this been accomplished a year and a half ago, properly and effectively, as we requested from the Canary Islands, I am confident that the situation for these minors and for the Canary Islands would be entirely different now,” he stated.
