SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 18th May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Carlos Alonso, the Canarian Coalition candidate for the European Parliament in the upcoming elections on June 9, has emphasised that one of his key initiatives for Europe is to implement a Residency Law to protect the interests of the people of the Canary Islands and ensure that everyone “has a place to call home.”
This announcement was made on Saturday during the presentation of the main proposals that the nationalist party will include in its election manifesto to the local committees of the metropolitan area of Tenerife.
Present at the event were Alonso, along with the national general secretary of CC, Fernando Clavijo; the insular general secretary of CC in Tenerife, Francisco Linares; the Secretary of Organization of CC in Tenerife, Rosa Dávila; the CC representative in the Congress of Deputies, Cristina Valido; the general secretary of CC La Laguna, Fran Hernández, and the mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, José Manuel Bermúdez.
Alonso highlighted that “in the same way we achieved the CMO for bananas and the Permanent Statute, we will also implement a Residency Law to alleviate the effects of population growth on the islands.”
He mentioned that the population in the islands has increased by over 570,000 people in the last twenty-five years, hence the necessity to introduce measures to counter the impact of this growth, such as “imposing higher taxes– not retroactively– on new residents” or introducing tax levies on the “purchase of second homes by non-residents”.
To achieve this goal, Alonso expressed his hope that “European legislation takes into consideration the unique characteristics of the Canary Islands.”
Furthermore, the European election candidate stressed the importance of diversifying the economy as a means to enhance economic growth, by “investing in talent, innovation, the blue economy, the audiovisual sector, and the aerospace industry.”
Alonso pointed out that “the Canary Islands have the potential to turn their geographical remoteness into an opportunity for development and competitiveness”, which would also stimulate growth in the surrounding areas.
Alonso also acknowledged the historical efforts made by the Canarian Coalition to compensate for the geographical distance, using the primary sector as an example.
In line with this, he mentioned that the Canary Islands are facing new challenges, particularly related to climate change, and therefore, “specific measures need to be established to protect the evolution of traditional sectors like agriculture or fishing and to tackle issues such as water and energy crises.”
He also stated that “we will request an increase in the POSEI budget” to support the productive sectors, offsetting the rise in costs since 2006, and aim for better coordination of the REA funds to achieve greater self-sufficiency.
Concerning the fishing industry, “we will seek assistance to enhance commercialisation”, expand the capacity of our fishing fleet, engage in fishing agreements, and eliminate quota restrictions for our artisanal fishing vessels.
A CUSTOMISED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MIGRATION AND ASYLUM PACT
Another cornerstone of the Canarian Coalition’s election manifesto is the segment dedicated to irregular migration.
To tackle this issue in the Canary Islands, Carlos Alonso stressed the need to call for “a tailored application of the European Pact for Migration and Asylum”, accompanied by adequate funding to address the humanitarian and material needs along the Atlantic migration route.
He also proposed organising an International Conference “to address the root causes of migration issues, starting from the countries of origin.”
Furthermore, he suggested that the Canary Islands should become “a hub for training and professional advancement for the surrounding countries”, with the aim of creating more development opportunities on the western coast of Africa.
CLAVIJO: “A LOT IS AT STAKE”
In his remarks, the general secretary of the Canarian Coalition and the President of the Government, Fernando Clavijo, underscored that “there are only 22 days left until June 9, and much is at stake. Years ago, we were fortunate to have Isidoro Sánchez representing us in the EU, and we achieved significant milestones. Now, in this expanded Europe of 27 nations, amidst a challenging environment, Carlos Alonso will be the sole voice addressing the issues facing the Canary Islands in the EU.”
Additionally, he stated that “neither the PSOE nor the PP have shown much concern for the affairs of the Canary Islands. Therefore, we need someone who possesses an in-depth understanding of the European institutions, and that person is Carlos Alonso, as he is best equipped to address the challenges of the 8 islands.”
