Spain to plead for more EU funds to deal with migrants

29 August 2006

MADRID — The deputy prime minister Maria Fernandez de la Vega starts the first part of a European tour on Tuesday to plead for more EU cash to deal with the migrant crisis in the Canarys.

De la Vega will first travel to Helsinki, as Finland holds the presidency of the EU.

The deputy prime minister will then go on Wednesday to Brussels to ask for funds as she has said the present aid is “clearly insufficient”.

But the Spanish deputy prime minister is likely to receive a polite ‘no’.

Friso Roscam, spokesman for the European Commission, said: “There are no more funds available. We have offered everything that we have.”

He added Spain will have to wait until 2007 as all funds have been allocated.

Already this year, 18,500 illegal immigrants have arrived in feeble kayaks in the Canary Islands, straining resources of the local authorities.

So far, Frontex, the EU border security agency, has deployed patrol boats off the West African coast.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news