Santa Cruz de Tenerife 12 Feb. (Europa Press) –
The Plenary of the Parliament of the Canary Islands has turned down a non-law proposition from VOX this Wednesday, which aimed to expedite the age determination tests for minor migrants arriving in the archipelago, with votes from PSOE, CC, PP, NC-BC, ASG and AHI.
Paula Jover (Vox) remarked that “illegal immigration” ranks as either the “first or second” issue for the Canaries, alongside housing, cautioning that the islands are experiencing a “national security crisis” necessitating a European Front of “Patriot” parties to confront illegal immigration and protect “European identity.”
She mentioned that “numerous young individuals of military age” are reaching the Canary Islands, falsely classified as minors, and indicated the necessity for forensic analysis, as they are expected to assess around twenty minors in just one morning. “This cannot be done in such a hurried manner,” she explained.
Raúl Acosta, spokesperson for the Mixed Group (AHI), raised concerns about the “manner” of Vox’s proposal, suggesting it “dehumanises and objectifies” minors, although he acknowledged a need for a “review” of the resources available to the Prosecutor’s Office to address the situation.
Luis Campos, spokesperson for NC-BC, asserted the importance of combating extreme right ideologies across all sectors and described Vox’s alleged interest in age determination as a “lie,” suggesting it is primarily aimed at underscoring the supposed “illegal” nature of migrants.
“Their true concern is to perpetuate hatred, as per usual,” he stated, criticising Vox’s “lack of compassion” towards the migrant community.
Mónica Muñoz (PP) connected the proposal to a “search for headlines,” emphasising that determining age is an “administrative process,” despite acknowledging the central government’s “failings” in providing necessary resources to the Prosecutor’s Office.
“They are operating under directives from Madrid,” she lamented, expressing dismay that Vox seeks to “criminalise” minors.
Jana González (CC) noted that, according to the CIS, immigration ranks as the tenth most significant concern for Spaniards, emphasising that migrants should not be labelled as “illegal” but rather as being in an “irregular” status. “We do not agree with either the methods or the motives,” she explained.
Rosa Cabrera from the Socialist Group condemned the “poor management” by the Canary Islands Government at the Institute of Legal Medicine in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, stating that “a plan B” for outsourcing the age determination tests should have been initiated, but clarified that her group does not align with Vox.
