President Armengol insisted on Tuesday that the Balearic government is working intensely on "making safe entrance to and exit from the Balearics possible".
Outlining the incidence rate of coronavirus in the Balearics, Armengol noted that the 14-day cumulative figure (per 100,000) had risen to 279 from 246, which is what it was at the end of the first week of October. "It is high, but it is the second best figure in Spain. This means that measures being taken are good, although they must be considered in the context of the situation with the pandemic and compared with Europe."
Against this background, the president said that negotiations are ongoing with regard to establishing safe corridors and to introducing testing at points of origin and in destinations with the highest incidence rates. Assessment is also being made of the testing of everyone entering the Balearics.
Jorge Campos observed that the government is considering closing internal borders, "which seems good", but will be "leaving external borders open". He went on: "Mohammed can come by boat from Algeria to visit his cousin Mustafa, who is residing illegally in Mallorca, but he cannot visit his brother who is living in Valencia. If it were only a Mohammed or a Mustafa, it could be controlled, but because of open-door policies we have had almost 400 illegal immigrants over the past 72 hours. Thirteen of them have tested positive, and we have already 1,500 (migrants) this year.
"The NGOs, previously subsidised with public money, are giving up to 400 euros* to illegal immigrants, while the hunger queues multiply, businesses close and families go bankrupt. Now tell me with what authority you are going to announce new restrictions and confinements, when you do not comply with them and there is no control of illegal immigrants."
Armengol responded by criticising a speech of "racism, hatred and xenophobia" and stressed the "rigorous and serious" measures adopted by the Balearic government in accordance with expert advice.
* The government delegate in the Balearics, Aina Calvo, has said that claims that the Red Cross are giving migrants 400 euros are totally false: "No one who arrives in an irregular situation receives a single euro."