The president of Ceuta, Juan Vivas, has lashed out this Wednesday against the central Government for including the possibility of using municipal sports facilities to house migrants in a draft decree, without having informed or consulted the Autonomous City beforehand.
In a joint statement with the mayor of Málaga, Francisco de la Torre, Vivas has denounced a lack of "institutional loyalty" on the part of the Executive and has made it clear that he will oppose outright the allocation of sports centers for this purpose. "The sports centers are not going to be used for this. And they are going to have to get me out of the sports centers, if they are going to try," he emphasized, stressing that he will have "everyone who wants to come" to support him.
The inclusion of sports centers in the draft has also triggered a significant citizen response. Hundreds of residents of Ceuta took to the streets this Tuesday to protest against that option, which led the Minister of Territorial Policy and coordinator of the single command, Ángel Víctor Torres, to later clarify the scope of the measure. Under that pressure, Torres specified last night that these facilities would only be considered in extreme cases and always with the prior agreement of the City.
Vivas has reminded that Ceuta has already ceded numerous public spaces during the migration crisis and has lamented the impact on daily life. "Ceuta has been left without a fair, without urban parks, without playgrounds. Now, what happens, that it also has to be left without sports centers?" he questioned, insisting that it cannot continue to subtract equipment for citizen use.
The president has defended that the priority must be solutions that do not generate "more abnormality on the already existing abnormality" and has demanded to focus on the return of the people who entered during the massive episode. "When the solution is in the return, let them return, let them provide means, let them make a plan, let us know it," he demanded.
As an alternative to the use of sports centers, Vivas has explained that the City has conveyed to the central Government several location proposals for the temporary reception of migrants, giving preference to places far from residential areas. Among them, he highlighted the surroundings of Tarajal, near the border crossing, which he considers "suitable" for installing these facilities, with the aim of minimizing the effect on the routine of the people of Ceuta.
The Ceuta leader has reiterated that the City is willing to cooperate, but has demanded that any decision be made through dialogue and with respect for the competencies of each administration. "I am not defending myself, I am defending Ceuta," he emphasized.
Request to the State to take in minors
On the other hand, Vivas will demand that the State take guardianship of the unaccompanied migrant minors who remain in Ceuta after the massive entry on July 30. This request will be made at the first meeting of the Situation Committee, chaired this afternoon by the coordinator of the Unified Command, Ángel Víctor Torres, and which will also be attended by the Minister of Migrations, Elma Saiz.
"We do not have the capacity to accommodate 3,500 or 4,000 minors. And we are going to ask that it be the State that takes charge of this," Vivas has pointed out, questioning whether an administration the size of Ceuta can sustain the care of thousands of minors resulting from the massive entry.
The president has linked this demand to the responsibility of the State in border surveillance. "Who is competent and who is, in any case, responsible for the massive entry into Ceuta that has resulted in a violation of the integrity of the borders and territorial integrity?" he posed, emphasizing that the City cannot face the consequences alone.
Vivas has announced that he will continue to demand from the National Government and the unified command measures to restore normalcy. This Wednesday, the constitution of the monitoring committee of the unified command is scheduled, before which he will again present his claims. In addition, he has warned that the City will go to the General Courts, the Judiciary, and European institutions to convey the situation that Ceuta is experiencing.
Demands more state resources for the migration crisis
The Ceuta president has also called for a reinforcement of state resources aimed at managing the crisis. Among the shortcomings that experts in the field have conveyed to him, he mentioned the need to increase the number of immigration officials, National Police agents, interpreters, judges, and prosecutors, as well as the transfer to Ceuta of the Asylum and Refuge Unit and the creation of a specific judicial body to process the procedures arising from this situation.
"Let it be done," Vivas has urged, convinced that the magnitude of what happened requires an extraordinary mobilization of resources. "What has to happen in Spain for there to be a mobilization of sufficient resources to address a violation of its territorial integrity?" he has asked, demanding a response that is up to the task.
Vivas has concluded by assuring that the Government of the City will continue to use "all capacities, all means, until the last breath" so that Ceuta recovers normality "as soon as possible."