Mallorca migration powers urged after 200% population rise
MÉS per Mallorca is calling for the Balearic Islands to take charge of immigration procedures, saying slow administration can fuel workplace exploitation and insecure jobs. Lluís Apesteguia, the party's spokesperson in the Balearic Parliament, made the demand in Palma, Mallorca, on Tuesday, 8 September. The party wants Article 32.18 of the Balearic autonomy statute to be applied, allowing the powers to be transferred.
Apesteguia said the islands' population has risen by 200% over the past 60 years, largely because of migration, and called that rate of growth unsustainable in the years ahead. He argued that a centralised administration does not understand the pressure facing an island territory.
He identified four migration groups: people arriving for work, mainly from Africa and Latin America; highly vulnerable people arriving by boat; people moving from elsewhere in Spain; and high-income newcomers buying expensive homes in particular neighbourhoods. He said the most vulnerable group was not the largest, but showed the harshest side of migration.
A local plan for faster cases
MÉS wants its own reception system, with services on every island, alongside one-stop offices intended to speed up applications. Its plan also includes free Catalan classes and specific protection measures for migrant women.
Apesteguia said delays in the system encouraged undeclared work, exploitation and precarious employment, particularly in hospitality, construction and care. He argued that the Balearic Government should also run the process to legalise a person's status, known as regularisation, because it already manages health, education and housing.
He described Spain's immigration system as a failure and said the central government was not providing enough resources for a functioning immigration service. He also attacked European Union migration policy. On Ceuta, he said the situation was a diplomatic rather than a migration crisis, and called on Spain to change its position on Western Sahara.
PISA results and pupils joining late
Apesteguia also rejected the idea that lower PISA 2025 scores meant Balearic pupils or teachers were less capable than elsewhere in Spain. The islands scored below the national average in maths, reading and science.
He pointed to families moving to the islands for the tourist season, with some children joining school halfway through the academic year or close to its end. He said the second official language was another important factor, particularly for children of migrants, and added that limited parental follow-up could also affect results.
Topics: Migration · Education · Social affairs · Health · Tourism · Politics
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com