SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 11th May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Canarian Coalition’s candidate for the European Parliament, Carlos Alonso, emphasises the importance of the Canary Islands confronting the demographic challenge “boldly,” by implementing measures to minimise the impact of population growth through an increase in taxes – not retroactively – for new residents or by introducing tax levies on the purchase of second homes by non-residents.
“You won’t succeed if you don’t try,” stated Carlos Alonso, who relies on the loopholes present in EU law to protect the unique characteristics of the Canary Islands.
These statements were made during an event held at the San Miguel de Abona Casino on Saturday, where he outlined the main proposals that the nationalist party will include in its election manifesto before the local committees in the southern municipalities of Tenerife.
Carlos Alonso was joined by the national secretary general of the Canarian Coalition, Fernando Clavijo; the island secretary general of CC de Tenerife, Francisco Linares; the Organizational Secretary of CC de Tenerife, Rosa Dávila; the vice president of the Parliament of the Canary Islands, Ana Oramas, and the mayor of San Miguel de Abona, Arturo González.
During his address, the nationalist candidate highlighted the key measures that the Canarian Coalition aims to advocate for in the new European Parliament following the upcoming elections on 9th June. He underscored the party’s historical efforts to compensate for the isolation of the islands’ agricultural sector.
Alonso mentioned that the Canary Islands are confronted with new challenges, particularly regarding climate change, stating, “We must promote specific measures to safeguard the sustained development of traditional sectors like agriculture or fishing.” Moreover, he announced plans to request an increase in the POSEI budget to support the productive sectors, offsetting cost escalations since 2006, alongside better coordination of REA funding to enhance self-sufficiency.
In terms of fishing, support will be sought to enhance marketing, expand the capacity of the Canarian fishing fleet, participate in fishing agreements, and remove quota restrictions on artisanal fishing vessels.
Another crucial aspect of the Canarian Coalition’s election manifesto is dedicated to addressing irregular migration. To tackle this issue on the islands, Carlos Alonso stressed the necessity of advocating for a tailored implementation of the European Pact for Migration and Asylum, along with adequate funding to address humanitarian and logistical requirements on the Atlantic route.
He also proposed hosting an International Conference to tackle migration challenges at their roots, starting from their places of origin. Additionally, he suggested transforming the Canary Islands into “a hub for training and vocational education for surrounding countries,” aiming to create more development prospects along the West African coast, he added.
The candidate expressed gratitude to the party for their significant commitment to the elections, highlighting the selection of the presidents of the island councils of Lanzarote, La Palma, and Fuerteventura – Oswaldo Betancort, Sergio Rodríguez, and Lola García – as lead candidates. Carlos Alonso conveyed that with his candidacy, “he represents a voice for the desires and needs of each island and municipality.”
MONOGRAPHIC FORUM.
Fernando Clavijo emphasised the importance of having a figure like Carlos Alonso in Europe: “This underscores the significant effort that the Canarian Coalition is investing in these elections, recognising the impact Europe has on the Canary Islands. We propose that the Canary Islands take the lead in the discussion on ‘The overpopulation of tourist areas in coastal regions.’ Therefore, we have requested the organisation of a specialised forum in Brussels to analyse the situation and develop joint solutions to common problems, such as overcrowding in these areas.”
Meanwhile, Francisco Linares articulated in his speech that one of the primary objectives with Carlos Alonso in the European Parliament will be to raise the EU’s financial support for agriculture and livestock in the Archipelago to reach up to 360 million Euros. “These European elections are critical for our farmers and herders. The influence the composition of the European Parliament has on this sector is more significant than that of local or national elections,” he indicated.
Ana Oramas remarked on the “impact” of Carlos Alonso’s representation at the European Parliament in bringing the unique aspects of the Canary Islands closer to Europe: “With Carlos leading our delegation, we can bridge the gap between Europe and the Canary Islands, as Europe may seem distant, yet it affects our daily lives significantly.”
Rosa Dávila assured that with Carlos Alonso in the EU, they will propose measures aimed at moderating population growth on the islands and enhancing mobility: “It is crucial for the measures to have an environmental emphasis. We must fight for the necessary funding to introduce sustainable and efficient transport systems, such as enhancing our current situation with the implementation of an ecotax that will help conserve and improve our natural spaces.”
Lastly, Arturo González stressed the need to reinforce the identity of the Canary Islands within the context of the European Union through the islands’ uniqueness: “Let us continue to support our heritage, and to do so, we have one of the finest candidates possible, namely Carlos Alonso.”
