Almeida criticises the Government's regularisation process
The Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, has expressed his strong opposition to the recent decree from the central Government aimed at regularising immigrants in Spain. In a press conference held this Thursday, Almeida described the process as a "botch job" and warned that the City Council will not take any responsibility for the consequences this measure may entail.
During his speech, Almeida emphasised that for the Madrid City Council, the dignity of individuals is a non-negotiable principle. However, he criticised Pedro Sánchez's Government for what he considers political manipulation: "They sell dignity for four votes," referring to the influence of Podemos in the decision. The mayor made it clear that they will not collaborate in a procedure he considers flawed from the outset.
One of the most controversial points mentioned by Almeida was the possibility that the decree allows for the regularisation of individuals with police and criminal records. "This is necessary for the people of Madrid to know," he stated, underscoring that it is not about xenophobia or racism, but simply a warning about the reality of the process. According to him, there is a risk that individuals with serious backgrounds related to crimes and misdemeanours could be regularised.
Apart from rejecting the measure itself, Almeida also denounced the total lack of guidance from the central Government towards the City Councils. This lack of information makes it difficult to know how to reinforce the basic municipal services needed to assist the new immigrants. "I don't know how I am supposed to reinforce the 010 or the public service offices," Almeida lamented.
The mayor deemed it unacceptable that City Councils are now being blamed for a process poorly managed from the beginning. He demanded that the Government increase both the services and the personnel necessary to tackle this situation: "If they believe that there are insufficient capacities, they must act accordingly."
Despite the strong rejection of the central Government's policies, Almeida assured that all immigrants will receive professional and dedicated attention from the City Council. "That will not be where the blame lies, even though they will throw it at us," concluded the mayor, reaffirming his commitment to all Madrid citizens regardless of the current political context.
You may also like
