Press conference by President of the Government following Valletta Summit on migration

Valletta (Malt)

President of the Government.- Ladies and gentlemen, a very good day and thank you very much for attending this briefing.

As you know, the top political leaders of Europe and Africa have met here in Valletta, together with the leading representatives of international bodies, with the sole aim of jointly tackling one of the main challenges facing international society at this time - the migratory crisis.

As you as well aware, in recent months the European Union has taken some important decisions to tackle the mass arrival of refugees in Europe. We have done so because the European Union is a supportive community, with shared values, among which are dignity and the basic fundamental rights of people, both within and beyond our borders.

Through our solidarity with our European partners and with the people that flee from warfare and barbarities, we have agreed to extraordinary measures on relocation and resettlement to take people in, and also to distribute among the Member States some 160,000 refugees over the next two years. Spain will take in more than 16,000, in addition to dealing with close on 20,000 applications for asylum that we expect to directly receive this year in our country.

The most important aspect of this operation is to carry out an exercise in solidarity, and to do so effectively, in a coordinated manner and to be capable of channelling in an organised fashion the admirable initiatives of solidarity from Spanish society. That is why we are strengthening and rescaling our national system to take in and integrate both material resources and human resources.

For 2016, in specific programmes to take in applicants and beneficiaries of international protection alone, we have significantly increased our initial budget. We have also placed 50 Spanish public officials specialised in managing migratory flows at the disposition of FRONTEX and the European Asylum Support Office, and we have already implemented the first pilot project to relocate refugees from Italy.

This pilot project will allow us to efficiently organise the take-in of more than 17,000 people who need international protection, whom we have undertaken to receive in Spain, as I said earlier, over the next two years. We will do this following a regular schedule to take in these people in the best manner. We have worked and are working to this end in coordination with all the local and regional public authorities, as well as with non-governmental organisations.

But the situation remains critical and requires joint, supportive, responsible and long-term action from all parties involved. There are no magical formulas, nor is there room for afterthoughts, nor do there exist any short-term solutions on issues such as this.

Spain has been defending this since the very beginning: we must manage both the consequences of the crisis and, and most importantly, the causes of the origin of this crisis. And these causes are none other than warfare, poverty and a lack of opportunities. As Europeans, we have been very clear that, while these scourges exist, mass flows of immigrants will continue to arrive at our borders. That is what I have been arguing in Europe for some time, and I must express my satisfaction that this is precisely what this summit in Valletta has been given over to.

In the same way as on other occasions, I was asked to set out Spain's experience on the matter of migration. Specifically, I explained at this summit our experience of cooperation with Morocco, Senegal, Mauritania and other countries in West Africa. And I should say that various African leaders have expressed their acknowledgement to me regarding Spain's work on the issue of migratory cooperation and dialogue.

Both the Political Declaration and the Action Plan approved at this summit contain the main elements of the Spanish experience we outlined and provide for specific measures in the following areas:

- Firstly, the development of countries of origin and transit. To this end, at this summit we have set up the Trust Fund for Africa, with a provision of 1.8 billion euros, which will fund various cooperation projects and which is in addition to other financial instruments that exist for European Union-Africa development cooperation. Spain was the first country to commit its contribution to this fund.

- Secondly, a reduction in the costs of remittances that immigrants send to their countries of origin and which in some cases constitute as much as 10% of their Gross Domestic Product. Spain has extensive experience in this field, which it has been sharing with various international bodies, including the G-20.

- Thirdly, the promotion of legal immigration channels and the extension of grants for African students and researchers.

- Fourthly, close cooperation with the authorities in countries of origin and transit to agree on the pertinent readmission schemes for illegal immigration, as Spain has been doing with a good number of countries.

- Fifthly, the fight against organised criminal gangs and mafias.

- Sixthly, the stabilisation of conflict areas and humanitarian aid to protect those affected.

-Seventhly, boosting institutionalised regional dialogue on migratory issues, taking maximum advantage in this regard of the Rabat and Khartoum Processes. Spain has proposed that these processes should become the executing bodies for the commitments acquired at the summit and of the projects financed under the Trust Fund.

Finally, I would like to also make you aware that the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, has now called, following on from the Summit, an informal meeting of Heads of State and Government of the European Union precisely to tackle our common response to the migratory crisis. Specifically, we are due to tackle the following issues: stepping up cooperation with third countries, including Turkey; the application of the decisions taken in terms of relocation; the creation of critical points in Greece and Italy and strengthening reception capacities, providing FRONTEX and the European Asylum Support Office with the necessary additional technical advice; and, fourthly, strengthening the common management of the EU's external borders.

Ladies and gentlemen.

It is clear that there is still a lot of work to be done, but the decision adopted within the framework of the Valletta Summit based on Spain's experience represents progress towards achieving these shared goals of the European Union. In reality, this summit is the first at which, in a clear and well-defined manner, we are not dealing with the consequences of this mass displacement of people, which is important, but rather we have focused on the origin of this mass displacement, which is much more important and is the way in which these issues can be truly resolved, at least when thinking about the medium and long term.

I will now take questions.

Q.- As regards the summit, I would like to know if Spain plans to increase this initial contribution that it has made to the Trust Fund, which amounts to 1.8 billion euros, since the large countries like Spain, France and Germany will only contribute 3 million euros, which seems quite a low amount.

Then, moving on to a national plane, it has been confirmed that Regional President Artur Mas will not be elected. Catalonia is now in a fairly clear situation of political and economic instability. I don't know whether you believe that the only solution that can be envisaged is a new round of elections and, at any event, whether some method exists for the government to guarantee that the powers of the Regional Government of Catalonia will not be abandoned; in other words, that the citizens of Catalonia will not suffer from this vacuum of power and this situation of instability that exists. I don't know whether the possibility exists, for example, of applying Article 155, but not as a punishment, rather as a guarantee that the services that the government must provide to its citizens will in fact be met.

President of the Government.- As regards your first question on the Trust Fund, we are talking about the European Commission contributing 1.4 billion euros and for the remainder there are financial instruments that can be used so that these 1.8 billion euros can indeed be found. Now, the major countries, such as Germany, France and Spain - Spain was the first to do so - have committed to 3 million euros each. But the fundamental goal is not to contribute this amount, because 3 million, as you well stated, is a low figure, but rather to set up and implement this Trust Fund so that the 1.4 billion euros can then be contributed by the European Commission.

At any event, the European Commission itself has announced that its aim from here to 2020 is to make some 10 billion euros available to African countries. And I believe that this is already a sufficiently serious and important issue for us to say that truly, for the first time in a long time, this issue is now being taken seriously.

Hence, I repeat, this contribution made by Germany, France and all the others, including Spain, of 3 million euros is purely instrumental; what is important is the contribution that will be made by the European Commission, whose budget, as you are well aware, is a budget that is contributed to by the different EU Member States.

In relation to your second question, we have seen almost everything here and, unfortunately, little of this has been good, but we must not forget that in less than five years there have been three regional elections in Catalonia. Of course, if the President of the Regional Government of Catalonia now says that he is going to present a motion of confidence, if he is elected, within the next eight months and that there will be elections again in 18 months, if before that we…, of course you have that… What would be ideal, reasonable and sensible is that periods or legislatures last for four years, that is sensible and that is which is provided for in the Constitution, whereby early elections can only be called when it is not possible to govern, or to bring them forward by one or two months for purely technical reasons.

What would be ideal is a rectification and what would be ideal is for the government not to have to make further appeals or take any other decision, because matters have been laid to rest.

At any event, what we have at the moment is a caretaker government. In reality, the elections were held on 27 September, we are now in the month of November and it would be good for a government to now have been formed, although I don't yet feel we have reached a critical situation at this time. The Regional Government of Catalonia is acting as a caretaker government at this time and to date, as far as I know, there is no reason to justify the implementation of any exceptional procedures.

Q.- President of the Government, the Regional Government of Catalonia has already announced that it is not going to obey the Constitutional Court and the suspension imposed yesterday by this court. I wanted to know what will be the next step that the government takes, because it has already announced its intention to disobey, and to also know whether the government is going to act outside of the channel of the Constitutional Court, which can take its decisions after the reform. What will be the next step by the government of the nation? Does the President of the Government feel he is backed by the other political leaders in the next steps that will be taken? We know that this is the case regarding the appeal, but do you feel supported in the next steps as well?

President of the Government.- Yes. I have the impression that a very significant part of the Spanish political parties will support the government in all the steps that it will take. I believe that this is very important for Spain, because we are not talking here about the interests of one party or another , or of the doctrine of one party or another, or of raising or lowering Personal Income Tax, which is also a very important issue; we are talking about something that transcends everything else, which is national unity, and this is an issue that greatly concerns us and is felt by the vast majority of the people of Spain.

Hence, I feel supported in any steps I may take in the future. I would like not to have to take any, but it is clear that, if someone breaks the law again, I am not going to look the other way. I will consult with the other political groups, because I believe that these decisions are better taken with the support of the vast majority, and I will take the decision that I have to take.

At this time, I don't have any other decision planned. I believe that what the Constitutional Court has done is very important. It is very important that everyone is Spain realises that the decision to suspend what the Regional Parliament of Catalonia did was taken in barely 48 hours; in other words, that is exactly what happened. The institutions have worked, the Council of State acted swiftly, as did the government and also the Constitutional Court. This should give us all some peace of mind vis-à-vis the events that may take place in the future.

In relation to the statements that some people have made not to uphold the law, I believe that this is highly indicative of the situation which some people have led Catalonia to. The people who are truly responsible in Catalonia, those who are behaving as the enemies of the citizens of Catalonia, are certain political forces that say things such as what you are enquiring after. The problem of Catalonia does not lie with the Spaniards who live outside of Catalonia, the problem lies with some citizens in Catalonia who are doing the things that we are witnessing.
To say that one is not going to uphold the law is, quite simply, to be unaware of the founding principles of a democracy or of a Member State. We are all subject to the law, all of us; all 46 million people who live in Spain. What kind of joke is it for someone to say that he is not subject to the law, and hence, do whatever he deems fit and opportune.

On another note, the law is what offers the legitimacy to act, either as a Member of Parliament, or as a regional councillor, or as the President of the Regional Government of Catalonia. It is the very law that allows them to hold a public position and hence to take decisions.

I don't wish to be misunderstood but, as I said earlier, I am not going to look the other way. I am not going to look the other way, because we are talking about a very serious issue that affects Spain at this time. Responses must be proportional and prudent; and I, for one, am obviously not going to look the other way and it is good for everyone to know that.

Q.- Has any foreign leader asked you or have you explained to anyone at this meeting about the situation Catalonia is going through at this time?

Another question. The decision we became aware of yesterday by the Constitutional Court is binding. It even talks about taking criminal measures, as the case may be; but it does not talk about suspension from holding a public position, as contained in the reform of the Constitutional Court and as contained in the government's appeal. I don't know whether you would have preferred for it to explicitly contain the possibility of suspension.

Finally, elections will be held on 20 December, in which Catalans will vote again. Do you expect that at these elections the Catalans will value the administration of the pro-independence parties, the management of the results from 27 September, and that this will be reflected in the ballot box in Catalonia?

President of the Government.- As regards your first question, yes, and it is normal for that to be the case. Allow me not to go into details, because these are private conversations; but the people I have spoken with on this issue have things absolutely clear. I was not surprised by anything anyone has said in this respect. People are perfectly aware of what is happening and they are truly surprised that in a democratic, civilised Europe, with its rule of law, there is someone who so calmly asserts that the law does not affect him and that he doesn't have to follow the law. In this, in the same way as we spoke about the parties earlier, the people of Spain have very widespread support from among everyone in Europe. Hence, from this point of view, I have absolute peace of mind.

Indeed, what you have said about the suspension was included in a series of petitions we made in the appeal to the Constitutional Court; but clearly the Constitutional Court takes the decisions it deems fit and opportune. But the most important thing for me is that in the key petition, which was to suspend the resolution of the Regional Government of Catalonia, this has been done and it is also important that a personal notification has been made to a series of people.

Then, the issue of the suspension is something contained in the law, but I am not the one to decide on the suspension, that is down to the Constitutional Court to decide on whether someone is suspended or not. I suppose that it did not want to remind anyone of the content of the law, but this possibility exists in the event that someone breaches the resolution handed down by the court.

I repeat, we always obey and respect what the Constitutional Court rules on and what is important to me in this case, as almost always, is the crux of the matter, which, in this case, is that it has attended to the application for a suspension.

As regards your third question, deep down, we can ask whether, when voting for a political party, it is a very important element what is happening in Catalonia and what the different political forces are doing. I imagine that it is. Logically, people, when they vote and when they support a certain political force, will take stock of what a political force has done, the good things, the bad things; people will also decide whether they agree or not with the decisions that have been taken, whether they agree with the ideas… There are many factors that determine which way one votes.

And we are undoubtedly looking at an important issue and I imagine that this will be an additional factor that people will consider. But I can say to you that, on the part of the government and the parties with which we are speaking, we are going to defend an important position, in other words, that Spain is Spain and that the Spanish people cannot have something taken away from them that belongs to them by just a few, a part of their own territory, and there will be no dispute or conflict over this issue with the other political parties, because we all feel the same on the main issues. I, of course, don't intend to do this.

Q.- President of the Government, two questions. In regard to the summit, this afternoon's summit, not the African one, I would like to know whether you expect Chancellor Merkel to confirm if she is prepared to return to Italy or Greece those who arrive in Germany without being registered, as it would seem her minister announced. In this case, if it is necessary. Will Spain be prepared to share out or take on part of the refugees that are already in Central Europe, in Germany, Austria or Sweden, who have asked for this? I don't know whether you will get involved in this or not.

As regards Catalonia, if it is confirmed that Artur Mas is not elected today, what political legitimacy, in your understanding, does the person that has headed up the independence process in Catalonia have at this time? Would it be easier for you to resolve the case of Catalonia without Artur Mas as head of the Regional Government of Catalonia after 20 December?

President of the Government.- As regards your second question, I believe that for the President of the Government to make a judgement on the situation in which the President of the Regional Government of Catalonia is at this time doesn't make much sense. Allow me to pass on that judgement call. I am not going to judge this, nor am I going to make a judgement on the leading role that certain extremists are playing in everything that is happening in Catalonia. I will deal with what corresponds to me as the President of the Government, which is to ensure that the law is upheld and to guarantee to the Spanish people that Spain will not be broken up and that, in no way whatsoever, the Spanish people will be deprived of what is theirs, which is the whole of the national territory.

In relation to the question about the summit to take place, as you correctly stated, later, I believe that the issue that will be dealt with, the most important one, is the issue of Turkey, and later, as I said before, certain things will be dealt with regarding the pilot projects that have taken place on the 'hotspots' in Greece and Italy, and then we will talk about Turkey.

In Turkey, as you are aware, there are more than 2 million refugees. We are going to see to what extent we can help Turkey, and we have also agreed today to help the rest of the countries in Africa through a Trust Fund. We are going to see how we can offer greater visibility to our relations with Turkey. It is likely that we will also speak about visas, and for Turkey to have readmission agreements with nationals from third countries. As far as I am aware, the issue you mentioned earlier is not on the agenda, but I believe that it is in Dublin. That is something that at present is in force in the European Union. It is true that at one point we said one thing, then another, but Spain's position is to maintain what we have done to date, to meet our commitments and full stop.

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much.