The president of the Consell de Mallorca has announced that emergency housing solutions, such as tents, will have to be resorted to if the central government does not immediately cede space.

Llorenç Galmés has requested the declaration of a state of emergency in Mallorca to speed up the necessary administrative procedures to be able to respond quickly and effectively to the arrival of unaccompanied minors, during the Conference of Presidents that has been held to address the arrival of unaccompanied minors.

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President Galmés calls for urgent involvement of the central government in the migration crisis affecting Mallorca

The President of the Consell de Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, attended the Conference of Presidents convened by the President of the Government of the Balearic Islands, Marga Prohens, which addressed the problem of the arrival of unaccompanied minors on the Balearic coast. During the meeting, Galmés stressed the urgent need for the central government to assume its responsibility in managing this crisis, pointing out that ‘the situation in Mallorca is critical, we are at the limit of our capacity’.

‘The childcare system in Mallorca is overwhelmed. We need more spaces, more economic resources, technical help and more support from the central government,’ said Galmés. Currently, the Mallorcan Institute of Social Affairs (IMAS) cares for 310 unaccompanied migrant minors, which represents 54% of the total number of minors in the island’s residential system. Furthermore, he pointed out that the centres themselves suffer from 40% overcrowding. Given this situation, the president of the Consell de Mallorca announced that emergency housing solutions, such as tents, will have to be resorted to if the central government does not immediately cede space.

During the Conference of Presidents, Llorenç Galmés called for the declaration of a state of emergency in Mallorca to speed up the administrative procedures necessary to be able to respond quickly and effectively to the arrival of unaccompanied minors. The president of the island’s institution pointed out that so far this year 202 unaccompanied minors have already arrived, exceeding last year’s figures, and forecasts indicate that the number could exceed 300 before the end of the year. This is an increase of more than 300% compared to 2021, the year that marked a turning point in the arrival of migrant minors. President Galmés lamented that ‘this fact generates an unsustainable strain on the island’s resources and reception centres’.

At the press conference following the meeting, President Galmés pointed out that ‘the inaction of the central government and the lack of an effective migration policy are putting at risk not only the welfare of minors but also the quality of public services in Mallorca’. Galmés recalled that two months ago he requested a meeting with the Government Delegation, which still has not been held.

Likewise, President Galmés pointed out that, although the protection of minors is a competence of the Island Councils, neither the legislation nor the protection system was conceived for the care of unaccompanied migrant minors. Therefore, given the current migration crisis, the central government should become involved in the management of unaccompanied migrant minors.

The president concluded by calling on Pedro Sánchez to listen to the demands of the citizens of Mallorca: ‘We cannot continue to endure this situation alone. The central government must get involved, declare the Balearic Islands as a migratory route and offer solutions that include the cession of spaces and the implementation of policies in the countries of origin to reduce arrivals’.