The Government will also impose transit visas on Senegalese to avoid the collapse of asylum requests in Barajas

Documentation is now required for Kenyan citizens and police unions demand it for Moroccans flying from Casablanca

MADRID, 24 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Government has agreed to impose transit visas on citizens with Senegalese passports starting next February 19, as has already been the case with those from Kenya since January 20, with the intention of avoiding the collapse of asylum seekers once they They make a stopover at the Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport.

The Police unions point out that around 87% of the 350 asylum seekers who are waiting in Barajas this week for their asylum application to be processed are Senegalese. Police organizations also demand that these transit visas be also imposed for Moroccans on Royal Air Maroc flights from Casablanca.

As confirmed by sources from the Ministry of the Interior, transit visas for Senegalese have been agreed upon within the framework of efforts in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation. The Office of Asylum and Refuge (OAR) has processed 847 requests for international protection from December 1 to January 15, according to data consulted by Europa Press.

In parallel, the Red Cross announced this Tuesday that it was temporarily withdrawing from the Barajas asylum rooms due to the chaos with asylum seekers, a decision that the Ministry of the Interior said it respected, but "did not share."

The Spanish Confederation of Police union (CEP) valued the "irresponsible flight" of the Red Cross, which it described as "disloyal", demanding an "immediate reconsideration" of this NGO. According to their calculations, this week it began with 350 asylum seekers at the Madrid airport, of which around 87% were Senegalese, "the nationality with the greatest presence" compared to Kenyans and Moroccans.

The department headed by Fernando Grande-Marlaska added that "from the first moment" it has defended institutional collaboration as the best way to resolve incidents at the Madrid airport, "which are faced with more guarantees from all levels and with the effort and the cooperation of all the actors involved".

In his appearance in Congress this Tuesday, the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, reiterated that there was an instrumentalization of stopovers at the Madrid-Barajas airport on flights destined for countries that do not require an entry visa, and that They are used to try to enter Spain irregularly.

On January 19, from Rabat, Grande-Marlaska acknowledged a "fraudulent" use of these stopovers and said that he was considering requesting transit visas when asked about flights from Casablanca. The Unified Police Union (SUP) has called for an investigation into the daily Air Royal Maroc route from this Moroccan city, as asylum seekers continue to arrive.

The controversy arises after weeks of the Police unions denouncing the "overcrowding" of asylum seekers, pointing out the "inaction" of the Red Cross and also of AENA, due to the deficiencies of some rooms in which with a daily average of 350 migrants, between them women and children.

In parallel, the Court of Instruction number 46 of Madrid responded to the appeal of the Prosecutor's Office and annulled its authorization last week to transfer migrants seeking international protection from Barajas to the Aluche Foreigners Internment Center (CIE), understanding that The asylum law had not been respected.

Interior sources have also recalled in recent hours that the number of National Police personnel and officials of the Asylum and Refuge Office (OAR) has already been reinforced in response to the problem at the Barajas border post.

"Given the specific increase in requests, the cleaning of the facilities has been reinforced and, in recent weeks, two new offices have been enabled for conducting interviews, which are added to the three already existing, and a third has been opened room to attend to applicants", they have recalled from the Interior.

The Ministry also points out that they are looking for "new coordination formulas to expedite the procedures for applying for international protection, with full respect for the rights of the petitioners."

Grande-Marlaska stressed yesterday in Congress that Spain is a reference in matters of international protection. "The effort made in this area in recent years has allowed us to exceed 163,000 applications in 2023, the highest number in history, since the Asylum and Refuge Office was created in 1992, placing Spain as the third country of the EU in number of applications," they point out.