240 migrant children strain Formentera

More than 240 unaccompanied migrant children are under the guardianship of Formentera’s island council, with the local PP saying the pressure has pushed its staff resources to the limit.

On 7 September, the party accused Spain’s central government of failing to pass on information it held about possible migrant boat arrivals. PP president Hugo Martínez said the State should have alerted the Balearic Government, arguing that Formentera is one of Europe’s key entry points for irregular migration.

The PP says the continuing arrivals over the past three years have stretched the Consell’s capacity. It puts this year’s cost of caring for the children at more than €15.2 million, or 22 per cent of the council’s budget.

Martínez’s party is calling for a change in Spain’s foreign policy, with legal, safe and orderly routes of entry. It says people should not be left risking their lives or handing their savings to traffickers without a secure future.

The PP also attacked the central government over the missing road agreement, which it says is allowing Formentera’s road network to deteriorate. It further wants Madrid to cover the cost of shipping waste to mainland Spain; the Balearic Government and the Consell have paid that bill since 2011, at an extra cost of about €1.5 million a year.

240 migrant children: Formentera at limit, PP says