Migrant Crisis in the Balearic Islands: A Growing Concern
The migration route from Algeria to the Balearic Islands has become the fastest-growing in the entire Mediterranean, with over 6,000 people arriving on the islands by sea so far this year, representing an 84% increase compared to the previous year, according to the latest data from the Spanish Ministry of the Interior. This significant surge has led to the Balearic Islands becoming the main gateway for irregular migration into Europe across the Mediterranean, as stated by the President of the regional government, Marga Prohens.
In response to this situation, Prohens and the President of the Mallorca Island Council, Llorenç Galmés, have called on the European Commission in Brussels to activate Frontex, a European border and coast guard agency, to curb the arrival of small migrant boats from Algeria. The meeting with European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, was also attended by the Presidents of the island councils of Menorca, Adolfo Vilafranca, and Ibiza, Vicent Marí.
Adolfo Vilafranca, President of the Menorca Island Council; Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration; Marga Prohens, President of the Balearic Islands Government; Llorenç Galmés, President of the Mallorca Island Council; and Vicent Marí, President of the Ibiza Island Council, before the meeting held in Brussels. Photo: CAIB.
A European Problem Requires a Joint Response
Both Commissioner Brunner and the island presidents agreed that the migration crisis in the Balearic Islands is a European problem that requires a joint response. Prohens emphasized that the formal request to deploy Frontex must come from the Spanish Government, but criticized the lack of action by the central authorities. “It is the Spanish Government that must make the request, and to this day, it has not been done,” she insisted.
The President of the Mallorca Island Council, Llorenç Galmés, warned that Mallorca is facing an unprecedented migration crisis that has overwhelmed the island’s child protection system. Despite allocating more than 30 million euros to address the situation, the island council no longer has available spaces or professionals. Galmés expressed his concern, stating that “it is incomprehensible that the Government of Pedro Sánchez has not requested Frontex’s intervention, and that is why we are asking the European Union for a common and determined response to this emergency.”
Willingness to Deploy Frontex and Address the Crisis
Commissioner Brunner expressed his willingness to deploy Frontex but stressed that a formal request from Spain is essential. He noted that this European mechanism significantly reduces irregular migration in the regions where it is implemented. Prohens thanked the Commissioner for “his understanding and concern” regarding the evolution of the migration route and warned that the island administrations are managing the guardianship of unaccompanied minors on their own, without sufficient resources.
The Spanish Civil Guard monitors the arrival of a group of Algerian migrants upon landing in Mallorca. Photo: Teresa Ayuga.
The lack of space and professionals is overloading care services and jeopardizing decent living conditions for migrant minors. The President warned that the island administrations are doing their best to manage the situation, but the support of the European Union and the Spanish Government is crucial to address this crisis. For more information, visit Here
Images Credit: mallorcaglobalmag.es