Spain will ask the European Commission to bring forward the entry into force of the European Pact on Migration and Asylum a year earlier than planned, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Wednesday (9 October).
Sanchez announced in parliament that he will urge Brussels to bring forward the implementation of the Pact, adopted in May this year, by one year, from 2026 to 2025.
The Spanish Prime Minister’s announcement comes amidst a growing migration crisis in Spain.
Since last August, the Canary Islands off the coasts of Africa have seen a significant increase in arrivals, and reception centers for unaccompanied minors are on the verge of collapse.
In an attempt to alleviate the situation, Sánchez announced on Wednesday that before his term ends (in 2027) the nationwide migrant reception network, with a current capacity of 50,000 migrants, will be reinforced to accomodate another 6,000.
Ongoing challenges in the Canaries and the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa, as well as the resulting humanitarian crisis, have triggered a political battle between the progressive government and the right-wing and far-right opposition.
The Spanish People’s Party (Partido Popular/EPP), the main opposition force in parliament, has accused the Sanchez of presiding over an “inhumane” migration policy, while the far-right Vox party, the third force in parliament, claims that the executive has provoked a dangerous ‘pull effect’.
However, the Social Democratic Prime minister warned against the rise of xenophobic rhetoric.
“We Spaniards are the children of immigration, we are not going to be the parents of xenophobia”, the PM stated.
A report published on Tuesday (8 October) by El País states that 57% of Spaniards believe that there are ‘too many’ immigrants in Spain and 75% associate them with negative concepts.
Of Spain’s nearly 49 million inhabitants, 8.8 million were born abroad, accounting for 18.1 per cent of the total population, according to a Funcas report and data by state-owned INE.
Sánchez assured that Madrid will push for a co-responsible and supportive policy from Brussels, “demanding that all Europe becomes effectively involved in the management of the migratory flows that Mediterranean countries receive”.
Among other measures, the Spanish government wants to reform the current national Immigration Law to make the reception of immigrant minors in the 17 autonomous communities obligatory – and not voluntary as it is now.
The move is fiercely opposed by the PP and Vox, who govern in coalition in several regions and municipalities.
[Edited by Owen Morgan]
Source: euractiv.com
