The Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saiz, has announced an extension of up to 44.51 million euros to strengthen the humanitarian response in Ceuta following the massive entry of migrants recorded at the end of July. The measure was made known during her appearance in Congress, where she also defended the continuity of the Red Cross care device after the incidents recorded this week at Trampolín beach.
Saiz explained that the Government has proposed a credit extension to raise the financing limit intended to address the extraordinary situation in the autonomous city. "This extension responds to the need to strengthen that response capacity of the Administration in the face of the extraordinary situation in the autonomous city of Ceuta," she pointed out.
The minister recalled that the Executive approved a first emergency declaration on August 3 for an amount of more than six million euros to sustain the humanitarian care deployed after the massive arrival of people on July 30 and 31.
93,650 food kits and more than 6,600 health care services
During her speech, Saiz detailed the volume of assistance deployed alongside the Red Cross since the beginning of the crisis. According to the data provided by the minister, as of August 27, 93,650 food kits have been distributed between Trampolín beach and other points in the city.
The device has also delivered 1,396 female hygiene kits and 2,150 male hygiene kits, in addition to carrying out 6,687 health care services in different locations in Ceuta and 256 transfers to hospitals and health centers.
The minister defended the role of the Red Cross and demanded that its workers and volunteers be able to continue their work "with all security guarantees and the utmost normality."
"We cannot allow those who carry out this work to be exposed, threatened, or intimidated simply for exercising their solidarity commitment," she stated.
Saiz calls for guaranteeing food distribution after incidents at Trampolín
The minister's intervention comes after a group of protesters attempted to prevent the distribution of food that the Red Cross carries out daily to the migrants settled in the Trampolín beach area.
Saiz has made a call for this humanitarian task to be carried out normally and has warned that the interruption of the food supply could increase tension in the city.
"Let’s imagine what would happen if those who are hungry or thirsty could not access these resources and had to obtain them in another way," he raised during his appearance.
The minister has linked basic assistance with coexistence and has defended that humanitarian attention "contributes to ensuring social peace" in Ceuta.
The Government demands European support to face the crisis
Saiz has also explained that the Executive is working so that the costs arising from the situation can be financed through the extraordinary aid mechanisms of the European Union linked to migration and asylum.
The minister has insisted that Spain requested these community funds from the beginning of the crisis and has rejected the criticisms that pointed to a lack of request for support from Brussels.
"Contrary to what has been spread in recent weeks, the Government of Spain requested this help from Europe from the very first moment," he stated.
The economic expansion announced this Friday adds to the reinforcement of the reception resources deployed in Ceuta, including the expansion of the Temporary Immigrant Stay Center (CETI) and the habilitation of new spaces to address the pressure generated after the massive entry of people into the autonomous city.