Unions representing the National Police in the Balearics are indignant at statements made in Palma by the national interior minister, Fernando Grande Marlaska, in which he gave assurances that the Balearic Islands have the "necessary" infrastructure to deal with the migratory wave from Algeria.
The four unions - SUP, SPP, CEP and UFP - jointly refute not only what the minister said but also also statements by the national government's delegation in the Balearics. The unions say that they have only managed by improvising - "placing these people in maritime stations and in police station cells and garages".
They add that they have been demanding for years that there is "adequate infrastructure" for migrants and that facilities comply with the proper security and protection measures for the police and for migrants. "We have been asking for more resources and more personnel to deal with this situation." Until now, "everything has been promises".
Outraged by statements by political leaders, the unions stress that it is their "duty" to deny them and to demand the resources required because of the number of migrant boats.