Councillor Fernández denounces Minister Rego’s “blackmail,” stating that “she threatens not to transfer the funding but proceeds with the distribution of minors anyway.”
She calls on the Government Delegate to explain to the Ministry the current situation in the Islands, which are facing a 1,000% oversaturation of childcare services.
The Government of the Balearic Islands is demanding that the central government transfer the ordinary credit to fund the care of unaccompanied migrant minors in 2025. This item had been unanimously approved by all regional governments in the preparatory sectoral committee. The Balearic Government issued this warning after the Minister for Youth and Children, Sira Rego, stated that the suspension of today’s planned sectoral conference—due to the absence of most regional governments—would prevent the transfer of funds.
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The Balearic Government criticises the central government’s threat not to transfer the committed funds for the care of unaccompanied migrant minors
The Councillor for Families, Social Welfare and Dependency Care, Sandra Fernández, stated that “if there had been the will, the sectoral conference could have been held including this item and the funding could have progressed, since all regional governments had agreed upon this specific point.”
Fernández reminded the Minister that the allocation of this funding must reach the Balearic Islands, even though the 2 million euros planned are completely insufficient. “The central government must stop making excuses and transfer this money to the Islands,” she said. “Nevertheless, we reiterate that this amount is entirely insufficient to cover the costs of caring for these children—a care that must be the priority, because these minors cannot be used as political tools.”
“The Government Delegation cannot stand on the sidelines”
Fernández has called on the Government Delegate in the Islands to explain to the central government the oversaturation currently affecting child care services, which are operating at more than 1000% of their capacity. “We ask Mr. Alfonso Rodríguez not to stand on the sidelines,” said the Councillor, “and to report on the situation we are experiencing in the Islands, with an established route of irregular migration that the Ministry either does not know about or does not want to acknowledge.”
In this regard, the Government notes that the Balearic Islands are currently hosting over 200 minors beyond their capacity, putting the child protection system at risk of collapse. As a result, the region cannot guarantee quality care for minors arriving from other parts of the country.
The Councillor explained the reasons why the Balearic Government, along with most regional ministers, did not attend today’s sectoral conference, which was ultimately cancelled due to a lack of quorum. “The agenda for this meeting was annulled by a majority vote of the regions in the sectoral committee,” she said, “but what we will not tolerate is blackmail from the Ministry, which threatens not to fund child care services while at the same time proceeding arbitrarily with the distribution of minors to all regions except the Basque Country and Catalonia.”