The first vice president and counselor of the Presidency, Health and Emergencies of the Junta de Andalucía, Antonio Sanz (PP-A), reiterated this Thursday that the regional government "will comply with what the law says" regarding a possible reception of unaccompanied migrant minors like those who arrived at the end of July in Ceuta. However, he insisted that, in his opinion, the action that corresponds to the central government is "to return them to Morocco," reminding that the neighboring country in North Africa "is the first that has said it wants them to be returned" to these people.
In an interview on Cadena SER, reported by Europa Press, and questioned about what Andalucía will do if Pedro Sánchez's government requests the community to host these immigrant minors, Sanz emphasized that the Junta believes it must "demand accountability" from the National Government, which he reproaches for not having already proceeded to "return all those who have entered" Ceuta "irregularly."
The counselor also questioned "why it is not being done," if "Morocco is the first that has said it wants them to be returned" to these people, and "why there are not more police to process" expulsion files. He insisted that the central government cannot "return the problem to the autonomous communities," which, in any case, "will always be up to the circumstances," as he added.
Antonio Sanz also recalled that Andalucía has reception resources for migrant minors, and that these centers "are at maximum" capacity, "exceeding 100% coverage," which, in his view, evidences the pressure that the community's protection system is already under.
In this line, he called on the government to act with greater diligence: "What we ask of the government is that it responds effectively to what it has to do, which is to return all (the immigrants) to their country of origin, and to have avoided" what happened in Ceuta, "because it could have been avoided," as the first vice president warned.
When asked about the government agreement signed between PP-A and Vox for the current legislature, which includes a "frontal rejection of the immigration policy of the central government and the arrival of more illegal immigrants, both adults and minors," Sanz emphasized that this same pact also "says that we will always comply with the law, whatever the law says."
He emphasized that "underage immigrants arrive every day by the coasts" to the Andalusian coasts, and that in this community "never" is "the back" turned on these people, so attention is paid to the minors who "daily" enter by sea.
"Therefore, no one is going to give us lessons on this matter, because we are more than used to this happening and it has been happening," he pointed out, although he differentiated this situation from "the magnitude of what a territorial invasion means and certainly a loss of dignity as a State, which is what has happened" in Ceuta, something he attributes to "the neglect of duties and responsibilities and a Government like Sánchez's that has not been up to the task in any case, especially when it also lies to the Spaniards."
Assessment of the mobilizations for Ceuta
On another note, the first vice president of the Junta has assessed the gatherings held this past Wednesday in front of numerous Spanish town halls in support of Ceuta due to the situation generated after the massive arrival of immigrants at the end of July. In his opinion, "Andalusia responded as it should, standing by a people that needs support, affection, answers, and solutions."
"Supporting Ceuta is defending Spain," Sanz asserted, who considered that the PSOE "made a serious mistake" by distancing itself from this call, understanding that in those mobilizations "everyone should be there" and that they were "against no one," but "in defense of Ceuta, out of affection" for an autonomous city with which Andalusia "has an extraordinary brotherhood relationship," just like with Melilla.
The Andalusian leader, who attended the gathering held in Seville, admitted that there he heard "shouts against Pedro Sánchez," which he attributed to the "indignation" that, in his opinion, many citizens feel after the President of the Government himself "declared" that what happened in Ceuta "was a territorial invasion" and then "went on vacation," when "national security issues cannot go on vacation," he emphasized.
"When there is a matter of State, there is a matter of territorial invasion, when what is at stake is national security, national security cannot go on vacation, and I believe that this is the indignation" that is perceived among the citizens, "but also (for) the lack of response and the lies" that, in his opinion, have also come from the central Executive.
Sanz concluded by pointing out that this Wednesday he heard "louder criticisms against Pedro Sánchez," but that "what was sought" with the call for mobilizations "proposed" by the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) "was to unite all Spaniards in defense of Ceuta, and that, of course, has been demonstrated," he assessed to conclude.