SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 10 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Minister of Health and Social Services of the Regional Government of Extremadura, Sara García, confirmed today that her autonomous community will be accepting 30 unaccompanied migrant minors within the solidarity allocation for 2024, while strongly criticising the central government for its “dictatorial” approach.
In a statement to the press following the Sectoral Conference on Children and Families, she called on ministers Sira Rego and Ángel Víctor Torres to be “consistent” and not publicly state that the responsibility for reforming the immigration law lies with the regions while privately admitting their lack of competence.
García highlighted the current “humanitarian crisis” and stated that Extremadura stands in solidarity and cannot remain indifferent, however, it opposes any form of “dictated” distribution. “We advocate for dialogue and consensus, never for imposition or unilateral decisions,” she clarified.
She also urged the Government to take “accountability” regarding an effective migration policy and appropriate budget allocation. She underlined that, at present, the budget allocation, pointing out, for instance, that Extremadura has 38 migrant minors under protection who were initially treated as adults and later confirmed to be minors, as per evidence from the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
“We demand their recognition as minors on an equal footing with those who arrive as such, and not misclassified as adults in these cases,” she insisted.
García justified her absence from a visit to a juvenile centre in Tenerife by inviting the ministers to a shelter in Mérida with a capacity for nearly 1,000 migrants, while also reprimanding them for leaving the conference abruptly to address the media. “Extremadura will always uphold seriousness, respect, and institutional loyalty, but at the heart of the matter are human lives,” she emphasised.
