The Government of the Canary Islands (CC-PP), open to the reception of minors in third countries

The Government of the Canary Islands (CC-PP) would be willing to divert the reception of migrant minors to third countries, based on the provisions of article 35.2 of the Immigration Law.

When asked about the invitation from the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to the member states to replicate the Italian model of outsourcing the reception of immigrants and asylum seekers, the Canarian Vice President, Manuel Domínguez (PP), has shown himself willing to explore this possibility.

Domínguez made these statements after a meeting with the president of the Balearic Islands, Marga Prohens (PP), in which the president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo (CC), also participated, who has ratified that in this and other matters the government partners, CC and PP, are "coordinated".

This pronouncement clashes with the opposition of the Government of Spain to create centers outside the borders of the European Union to divert immigrants who irregularly access its territory.

The Canarian Executive refers to article 35.2 of the Immigration Law, which determines that "the autonomous communities may establish agreements with the countries of origin aimed at ensuring that the care and social integration of minors is carried out in their environment of origin".

It also says that "such agreements must duly ensure the protection of the interests of minors and contemplate mechanisms for adequate monitoring by the Autonomous Communities of the situation of the same".

The Canarian Vice President and regional leader of the PP, Manuel Domínguez, has emphasized that the Government of Spain must "listen a little more" to the European institutions and their "predisposition to provide economic aid, border security, political asylum and the referral of minors".

The president of the Balearic Islands, Marga Prohens, has seconded her party colleague and has underlined the "claim for more involvement" in immigration matters from the Government of Spain by Von der Leyen.

Prohens has stressed that it is the central administration that must "exercise leadership, responsibility and commitment" in the face of the migratory phenomenon, "putting solutions on the table".

She has indicated that this "is not a matter of solidarity" in the case of the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Ceuta and Melilla, "but of capacity", and that when there is a situation of "over-occupation of resources and budgetary dedication, you expect the Government to exercise its responsibility".

She has stressed that so far this year 50% more people have arrived in pateras to the Balearic Islands than in all of 2023, including 400 minors, and that the over-occupation of the reception system reaches 850%.

For this reason, she has demanded "a change in immigration policy" and to go beyond the "distribution" of minors among communities.

Prohens has recalled the "clear pronouncement" of the Prosecutor's Office for Minors in the Balearic Islands, regarding that "it is the responsibility of the Government: minors cannot be disassociated from the migratory phenomenon".

His counterpart in the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, has called for "separating politics from institutions" and has complained that "all the proposals" in order to modify the Immigration Law have come from the regional Executive.

Clavijo has indicated that if there is an issue that "justifies" a Conference of Presidents, it is immigration, in addition to housing, and although he would "like the State to do that coordination work", if it does not, "we have to move" the autonomous communities.