Asylum seekers in Catalonia could triple this year, says human rights group

The Catalan Commission for Refugees (CEAR) says the number of asylum seekers arriving in Catalonia in 2018 will continue to increase, and it could even triple from last year, when 3,900 people asked for international protection.

The rise of refugees in Catalonia reflects the ongoing trend in Spain, which saw a record-breaking figure of 31,120 petitions in 2017, twice as many as the previous year. For the first time, the number of asylum seekers arriving in Spain surpassed the average rate in European Union countries. However, that was mainly due to the arrival of Venezuelan people.

As petitions grow, also increase the number of rejections. In 2017, Spanish authorities denied 8,675 requests for international protection. Catalonia does not have powers on migration, so it relies on Spanish authorities to authorize, or not, asylum requests.

After a weekend when almost 2,000 people arrived in the Spanish shores, including 630 people rescued by the Aquarius and disembarked in Valencia, human rights groups in Catalonia say the number of arrivals is likely to increase this summer as the weather gets warmer.