migration

Government to grant asylum to ten Kurdish migrants found in lorry

November 16, 2016 06:29 PM | ACN

Ten Kurdish people from Iran were found this morning hidden in a lorry in Lliçà d’Amunt, a village 30 kilometres from Barcelona, during a delivery route. According to the Catalan Secretary for Equality, Migration and Citizenship, Oriol Amorós, they are four minors, an adult woman and five adult men who had probably paid somebody to take them to England. Although Amorós said that “there are still doubts” about when they entered the lorry and what exactly their route was, the Government “will do everything in its power” to “give them asylum, regardless of their situation”. Moreover, bearing in mind that the migrants come from Iran, belong to the Kurdish minority and that “their human rights were being threatened”, they could have “recourse to the right of asylum and Catalonia would be able to take them in”.  

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Brussels applauds Catalonia’s offer to host refugees and calls for Madrid’s support

April 18, 2016 02:36 PM | ACN

EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos stated that “all levels of governance can contribute” to the European Commission’s commitments to tackle the refuges crisis. In a letter addressed to Catalan President Carles Puigdemont, Avramopoulos considered Catalonia’s offer to host 4,500 refugees “a step in the right direction” and called for the offer to become a reality as soon as possible. He also lamented that Spain had “only relocated 18 migrants” besides having committed to “assisting 6,127” refugees. “These schemes have to be implemented as a matter of urgency” to “ensure that the Union takes on its fair share of the global responsibility to provide a safe haven for the world's refugees”, stated the letter. Avramopoulos also expressed his will for Spain’s government to “support” Catalonia’s efforts in this matter, as it is “responsible for the implementation of the relevant EU decisions”.

Barcelona’s Mayor reports to the EC Spain’s “immoral” management of the refugee crisis

April 5, 2016 06:22 PM | ACN

Barcelona’s Mayor, Ada Colau, travelled to Brussels this Tuesday to report Spain’s “immoral”management regarding the refugee crisis, which she described as “deeply shaming”. According to Colau, citizens in Barcelona “are asking to be a host city”and “die of shame and outrage when they see images of Lesbos and Idomeni”. “We are part of the solution, we have expertise and are willing to help”she stated, but regretted that sometimes local governments “are not taken into account”. Together with other European mayors, Colau met the EU's migration Commissioner, Dimitris Avramopoulos, and the EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, Corina Cretu, and asked them to “listen to the local governments”. Avramopoulos assured that he “took note”of Colau’s demands but emphasised that EU support to local authorities is always “through the Member States”.

Puigdemont offers Brussels to host 4,500 refugees, Spain criticises “unilateral” action

March 18, 2016 07:04 PM | ACN

Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont expressed Catalonia’s willingness to accommodate 4,500 refugees and provide “a solution for those millions of people running away from war”. In a letter to the EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos, Catalan President Carles Puigdemont stated that the Catalan government and institutions are “working to accommodate around 4,500 refugees” and assured that Catalonia is “ready to receive up to 1,800 refugees” right now, “600 of which would be hosted directly by the Catalan government”. On the other hand, the Spanish executive responded to Puigdemont’s action and accused him of acting “unilaterally” and “adding more problems” to the existing situation. “A region in Europe wants to be the solution to the problem, this is impossible”, stated current Spanish vice president, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría. 

Barcelona hosts 15th edition of the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates

November 13, 2015 03:05 PM | ACN / Sara Prim

Under the slogan ‘Defend refugees. Achieve world peace’a dozen Nobel Peace Laureates, professors, students and worldwide organisations will tackle the refugee humanitarian crisis and try to offer practical solutions. At the presentation of the 15th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Barcelona, current Catalan President, Artur Mas, assured that the Catalan capital and the whole of Catalonia “are ready”to welcome those who run from war. He described Catalonia as “a good laboratory”of social cohesion and reception experiences on an international scale, as it has repeatedly welcomed people from all over Spain and was the point of departure for many Civil War exiles. Barcelona City Hall’s First Deputy Mayor, Gerardo Pisarello, highlighted Barcelona’s efforts to become a world leader in peace and in respecting human rights.