Representatives of unions of the National Police and associations of the Civil Guard have gathered in front of the Government Delegation in the Canary Islands to protest against the transfer of powers in immigration matters to the Generalitat of Catalonia.
The spokesperson for the Unified Association of Civil Guards, Juan Couce, has argued that the powers that are being delegated are exclusive to the National Police, such as the documentation of foreigners, or corresponding to the Civil Guard, such as the surveillance of coasts and borders.
"We consider that it is illegal, the Constitutional Court has already said that these powers cannot be delegated to the autonomous police forces, we do not understand how the minister (Fernando Grande) Marlaska said in Congress that it was not going to be done and a short time later we have seen that they have changed their minds," said Couce.
On the occasion of the rallies held throughout the country, these representatives of members of the security forces express in a manifesto that they are "deeply concerned that a Government, in order to remain in power, violates the laws and gives in to political blackmail, putting national security at risk and deceiving Europe about the dangers that threaten our borders and the fight against crime in all its forms."
In their opinion, an autonomous police force cannot assume functions that, constitutionally, correspond exclusively to the Civil Guard and the National Police.
The law already delimits the attributions of the autonomous and local bodies, and none of them can affect national security, argue the organizers of the protests.
"If no one puts a stop to this situation, we will be the police and civil guards ourselves, together with parties, institutions and citizens who still believe in the rule of law, who will put an end to this madness, always within the law," announce the unions and associations that are calling this protest.
They also ask the Government for "clarity and forcefulness in its support for legality and the State Police."
They also denounce that the salary equalization agreement is not being fulfilled and national police and civil guards retire in a precarious situation, while the autonomous bodies enjoy a better situation.