Sa Unió will take to the next plenary session of the Consell de Formentera, on October 31, a proposal for the island institution to relinquish the management of unaccompanied minors and return those powers to the Balearic Government. The coalition, made up of the Partido Popular and Compromís con Formentera, argues that the island lacks the economic, human and infrastructure resources necessary to adequately address this situation.
Crisis and lack of resources
Formentera has been particularly affected by the increase in the arrival of immigrants, being located on the route of the mafias that organize these movements from North Africa. The exponential increase of unaccompanied minors has overwhelmed the island’s reception capacity. At the moment, the Consell is in charge of 87 unaccompanied minors, out of a total of 101 minors under guardianship, many of whom have arrived from Algeria so far in 2024. As a temporary measure, the Consell has had to accommodate eight minors in the Casa de Colonias, a facility that is not designed for this type of reception. According to the data provided, this year alone 1,772 people have arrived in Formentera in 111 boats, including dozens of minors.
Request for application of the Law of Councils
Sa Unió calls for the application of Article 135 of Law 4/2022 of the Island Councils, which allows the waiver of powers by plenary agreement with absolute majority. The proposal asks that, after the approval of the Plenary, the resignation be communicated to the Govern and the Balearic Parliament so that the transfer of services can be managed within a period of four months. The coalition emphasizes that in the Canary Islands, in a similar situation, the management of these minors corresponds to the autonomous Government and not to the island councils.
Criticism of current management
Sa Unió has questioned the lack of action by the president of the Consell de Formentera, Llorenç Córdoba, who, in a previous plenary session, was in favor of returning the competencies. The coalition insists that these responsibilities should never have been assumed without an adequate plan and sufficient resources to ensure the welfare of children and the community.
