The Balearic Parliament has approved this Tuesday a proposal in which it claimsthe central government to recognize the migratory route between Algeria and the Balearic Islands as a consolidated corridor and strengthen resources to deal with the arrival of immigrants. The initiative, promoted by the Popular Party with amendments from Vox, has had the support of 33 votes in favor and 24 against the opposition, evidencing the political division on this issue.
The parliamentary session has been marked by an intense debate on the management of immigration in the islands. In 2024, more than 5,800 people arrived in small boats to the Balearic Islands, tripling the figure of the previous year. The lack of means and the impact on security and assistance services have been the focus of criticism directed at the central government, which is accused of neglecting a crisis that, according to the PP, can no longer be ignored.
Formentera, the most affected island
One of the key points of the debate was the situation of Formentera, which with just 12,000 inhabitants has received half of the immigrants arriving in the Balearic Islands in the last year. The island’s deputy, Llorenç Cordoba, has defended the need for the central government to prioritize the sending of resources to strengthen care in the municipality. His amendment has been approved with a broad support of 56 votes in favor and only one against.
Cordoba has stressed that the massive arrival of people puts in check the response capacity of public services, especially in terms of immigration, security and health. The presence of unaccompanied minors is another of the most worrying factors, since Formentera is the territory with the highest ratio of reception in Spain, with 104 minors registered in 2024. This situation is a logistical and economic challenge for the local administration, which has estimated the cost of their care at nine million euros.
Criticism of the government and demands for measures
During her speech, the PP deputy Cristina Gil pointed out that the Balearic Islands is in a situation of neglect by the central government. She has denounced that the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, still does not recognize the existence of this migratory route, despite the figures and police reports that confirm its consolidation. According to Gil, the lack of action by the Government has forced the Parliament to take the initiative to demand immediate solutions.
In his intervention, Gil insisted on the need to reinforce the resources destined to the attention of immigrants, as well as to increase the personnel of the security forces in the islands. He described as “institutional disloyalty” the lack of response of the Executive to a crisis which, in his opinion, can no longer be ignored.
For his part, the deputy of Vox, Sergio Rodriguez, has criticized the position of the left, accusing it of minimizing the problem and adopting a “policy of the ostrich” in front of the migratory reality in the Balearic Islands.
He pointed out that migratory pressure generates insecurity and that it is necessary to tighten control policies to prevent the massive arrival of small boats.
A polarized debate in Parliament
Criticism of the Balearic Government has not been long in coming. The socialist deputy Teresa Suárez has reproached the PP for its intention to use immigration as a political weapon against the Executive of Pedro Sánchez. She has defended that most of the immigrants who arrive to the islands do not stay in them and that a good part of the Balearic economy is sustained thanks to their labor. According to Suarez, the approved proposal only seeks to generate alarm and does not address the issue from a humanitarian and rights perspective.
From Més per Mallorca, the deputy Marta Carrió has opted for an approach that combines diplomacy and integration measures. She stressed the need to strengthen the protection of immigrant minors and pointed out that the challenge facing the Balearic Islands is one of management and not of political confrontation.
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