At the meeting held with the Secretary of State for Youth and Children, Rubén Pérez, the president of the Consell de Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, reiterated that ‘the situation is extreme’ and called for the provision of spaces and economic resources for the care of unaccompanied migrant minors arriving in Mallorca.

The president of the Consell de Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, lamented the central government’s lack of involvement in the migration crisis and the increase in the arrival of unaccompanied migrant minors on the island. This is what he said after the meeting held this Wednesday with the Secretary of State for Youth and Children, Rubén Pérez, at the Government Delegation. The president of the island’s institution highlighted the cordial tone of the meeting, although he assured that ‘it comes late, as it was requested urgently on 16 July’. Likewise, Llorenç Galmés described the meeting as ‘disappointing because no response has been given to any of the Consell de Mallorca’s requests for the cession of spaces and economic resources for the care of unaccompanied migrant minors’. The meeting was also attended by the councillor for Social Welfare, Guillermo Sánchez.

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President Galmés regrets the lack of involvement of the Central Government in the migration crisis in Mallorca

The meeting was attended by the government’s delegate in the Balearic Islands, Alfonso Rodríguez, the government’s councillor for social affairs, and representatives of the island councils of Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.

During the meeting, Galmés conveyed the seriousness of the situation to the Secretary of State for Youth and Children, stressing that, as these are migrant minors, the situation transcends the jurisdiction of the Consell de Mallorca, as migration management is the responsibility of the Spanish government. ‘It is essential that both administrations work in a coordinated manner to provide an effective response to this humanitarian crisis, as the situation in Mallorca is on the verge of collapse,’ said the president.

54% of the minors cared for in the residential protection system are migrants
Galmés also stressed the urgency of adopting immediate measures in the face of the increase in the arrival of unaccompanied migrant minors, which continues to put a strain on the IMAS reception system. So far in 2024, there have already been 202 arrivals, surpassing the 180 registered during the whole of 2023. Currently, the island hosts 310 unaccompanied minors, which represents 54% of the total capacity of the protection system. ‘The Consell de Mallorca has exhausted its available resources and it is essential that the central government assumes its responsibility to avoid an imminent collapse,’ said Galmés.

Among the main measures demanded by the Consell de Mallorca to the central government are the declaration of a state of emergency on the island to speed up administrative procedures, the urgent convening of the Conference of Autonomous Presidents to deal with the crisis, the implementation of a comprehensive migration policy by the central government and the formal recognition of the migratory route affecting Mallorca. ‘Mallorca cannot continue to bear this pressure alone. We need more economic resources, more spaces and a coordinated response from the central government,’ added Councillor Guillermo Sánchez.

With this meeting, the Consell de Mallorca reaffirms its commitment to the protection of migrant minors and trusts that immediate solutions can be implemented to alleviate the critical situation on the island.