Pedro Sánchez's government is planning the urgent transfer to mainland Spain of 500 migrant girls who arrived in Ceuta, while the EU supports sending the unaccompanied minors back to Morocco.
According to Spain's Ministry for Youth and Children, work is under way on the urgent transfer to mainland Spain of 500 migrant girls who arrived in Ceuta during the mass migrant influx between 30-31 July.
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Sources at the ministry explain that "this plan includes the royal decree-law providing for compulsory, solidarity-based reception by all the autonomous communities, or family placement, as well as other mechanisms to speed up reception."
Among the options being considered is a route that would allow child-protection organisations to manage the reception and care of the most vulnerable cases, including the girls, in tailored facilities on the mainland, without the need to transfer guardianship to the autonomous communities.
Several autonomous communities have already said they will not take in unaccompanied minors who arrived in the Ceuta mass crossing. The central government has criticised what it calls a lack of "solidarity" shown by these regions. For its part, Morocco last week asked the Spanish government to return the Moroccan citizens still remaining in the enclave.
Protecting the best interests of the child
Elma Saiz, Minister for Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, told the public broadcaster RNE that the issue is being addressed by Ceuta together with the Department for Children and the autonomous communities. She preferred not to give further details, but insisted on the need to "protect the best interests of the child."
The Socialist politician stressed that "these are girls who are on their own." She said the minors have been grouped together in safe spaces in Ceuta to prevent cases of sexual violence, after numerous rapes reported in recent days which are already in the hands of the courts.
The Social Security minister underlined the need to respect the law and said the government has given Ceuta €25 million to help deal with this situation.
The National Police had identified and handed over to the Ceuta government 2,168 minors by Tuesday 18 August.
Brussels supports sending all migrants back to Morocco
Meanwhile, the European Union is backing the return of unaccompanied minors from Ceuta to the African country.
"The priority now is for the Spanish and Moroccan authorities to keep the situation under control and guarantee the swift return of all those who remain irregularly in Ceuta," European Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert said at a press conference on Tuesday.
Lammert stressed that the returns are covered by EU law, adding that they are regulated by "the Return Directive" and, in future, by "the EU Return Regulation."