Clavijo's trip to Brussels manages to place the Canary Route as a priority in the EU

After the meeting held this Friday in Brussels with the commissioner, Clavijo highlighted the receptivity shown by the representative of the European Commission to the Canary Islands demands, since, according to the president, it is absolutely ''conscious'' of the migratory crisis that the archipelago is experiencing after the arrival of more than 32.000 personas to the coasts of the Canary Islands. Only in October were 15.729 and almost 1.900 so far in November.

In fact, after the president's invitation, Johansson has assured that he will try to adjust his agenda to travel to the Canary Islands next January and learn first-hand about the care and reception system deployed to serve migrants. Clavijo considers this visit as a key point to improve the ''comprehension'' of the European Commission of the scope and importance of the ''dangerous Atlantic Route'' which has left eleven dead in the Canary Islands.

A few days of satisfaction

The head of the autonomous Government showed in this sense his "satisfaction" after three days of work in Brussels in which, in addition to the support of the European commissioner, he has achieved that the three main groups of the European Parliament commit to including the Canary Route in all documents on migration that are debated in the European Parliament.

The first step to translate this commitment will be taken at the end of this month, when the Committee of Regions of the European Union debates and approves a specific document on migration. In this text, Commissioner Johansson has recognized Clavijo, it will be "considerably important" that the Canary Route is incorporated into EU priorities at the same level as the Mediterranean route.

Unaccompanied minors

The migration crisis has caused the ''difficult situation'' in the Autonomous Community to attend alone to more than 4,300 unaccompanied migrant minors, according to government data. In this regard, the president has informed Johansson of the legislative initiative that the Government of the Canary Islands will raise the State to reform the Minors' Law and achieve co-responsibility in the distribution of boys and girls between the Spanish regions.

Clavijo recognizes that this matter is the exclusive responsibility of the state and not of the EU, but considers it important to convey the problem to the senior officials of the European Commission so that it is taken into account when addressing all aspects of the recovery of the Canary Route.

Frontex deployment

The president of the Canary Islands has also transmitted to the European Commissioner for Home Affairs the "need" to improve the deployment of Frontex on the west African coast to "Save lifes". Considers that the surveillance operation and fight against mafias "it's working" in Morocco and Mauritania, but "we have to do it in Senegal too"the country from where most of the canoes leave for the Canary Islands.

Fernando Clavijo reminded Johansson that more than 70% of the migrants who have arrived in Spain this year have done so to the archipelago, a fact that demonstrates the need to improve the European device on the coast of Africa.

During the meeting with the European Commissioner, the "difficulties" with which the Commission is encountering to seal agreements with the Member States and achieve this reinforcement of Frontex. Clavijo hopes that these obstacles will be overcome, just as happened in Lampedusa after the visit of the president of the European Executive, Ursula von der Leyen.