The mayor of Arrecife, Yonathan de León, stated this morning in Puerto de Naos that "if the Government of Pedro Sánchez finances trains in Morocco with 700 million euros, it can also open return centers in that North African country for migrants arriving in boats." In line with the controversial initiative carried out by the Italian president Giorgia Meloni to deport migrants to centers in Albania.
The statements of the mayor of the capital of Lanzarote are in line with the proposal of the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who has proposed to the leaders of the European Union to explore the idea of developing "return centers" for illegal migrants outside the EU and considers that it will be possible to "draw lessons from the experience that other EU countries already have." Despite this, the Italian justice system has rejected these measures.
The mayor of Arrecife believes that "the Government of Pedro Sánchez must follow the line of many EU countries where they are exploring new ways to advance in developing return centers for illegal immigrants outside the EU, to stop and combat illegal migration, respecting the principles and values of the EU, the obligations under international law and the protection of fundamental rights, while strengthening solutions for people who can be returned."
These statements by the mayor of Arrecife were made this Monday morning at the event where it was announced that Maritime Rescue is allocating an additional vessel to provide services on the eastern coasts of the Canary Islands, with Puerto de Naos as its operating base. The mayor spoke at the event together with the general director of the Merchant Marine, Gustavo Santana; the director of Maritime Rescue, José Luis García Lena, and the Island Director of the General State Administration in Lanzarote, Pedro Viera.
Yonathan de León valued the presence of this new unit that strengthens the rescue services on the eastern coasts of the Canary Islands, both for fishing vessels and for the rescue of boats.
For the mayor, "if there were return centers in Morocco, and other North African countries, it would allow the Maritime Rescue teams to disembark in their ports these people who travel in canoes or boats." Yonathan de León recalled that "recently rescues have been registered by the Government of Spain in waters closer to Morocco, and yet the occupants of these boats have been transferred to the capital of Lanzarote, many of them minors."
The National Police union warns of a lack of resources and saturation due to the immigration situation
The Arrecife City Council recalls that "recently the Spanish Police Confederation warns of a lack of police officers at the National Police Station in the capital of Lanzarote, which by Law has all the powers in matters of immigration."
