The Balearic government has proposed that admission of Syrian refugees should be based on the size of regions’ populations. Fina Santiago, the minister for co-operation, believes that if such a demographic criterion were to apply, then the Balearics would admit up to 300 refugees.
Her calculation is based on a figure of 15,000 refugees being admitted by Spain, one that has been widely mentioned, and on the Balearics having 2.5% of the total Spanish population.
The proposal was made during an extraordinary meeting of the conference on immigration in Madrid, chaired by national employment minister, Fatima Báñez.
It had only one issue to consider - that of the reception of applicants for international protection. At present, the regional government, island councils and town halls are preparing for the possibility of admitting refugees and considering how this can be best done.