Mariano Rajoy says that Spain will accept over 17,000 refugees and process 20,000 asylum applications

Valletta, Malta

The President of the Government pointed out that the goal of the Valletta Summit was to discuss the current migrant crisis, "one of the main challenges for our society". As he explained, the European Union is a "community based on solidarity and shared values", which include "dignity and people's basic fundamental rights both within our borders and beyond".

With this in mind, "extraordinary relocation and resettlement mechanisms" have been adopted to "accept and distribute 160,000 refugees among the Member States of the EU over the next two years".

Spain strengthens national refugee intake system

Mariano Rajoy said that Spain will accept over 17,000 refugees and process close on 200,000 asylum applications. "The most important aspect of this operation is to show solidarity but also to do so effectively, in a coordinated fashion and with the ability to channel the admirable solidarity initiatives of Spanish society in an orderly manner", he said.

Pool Moncloa/Diego CrespoThe President of the Government said that Spain is strengthening and redefining the national refugee intake and integration system, "both in terms of material and human resources". The initial budget has also been increased "significantly", while "50 Spanish civil servants specialised in migratory flow management" have been made available to FRONTEX and the European Asylum Support Office.

In this regard, Mariano Rajoy recalled that "an initial pilot project to relocate refugees from Italy" began last week, a project that "will help us effectively organise the intake of over 17,000 people in need of international protection".

Acting against the causes and consequences

Given that "the situation remains critical", the President of the Government said that the migrant crisis requires "joint and responsible action based on solidarity". He also stressed the position that Spain has always defended: to manage both the consequences of the crisis and its underlying causes - war, poverty and the lack of opportunities. "As long as these blights exist, large-scale flows of immigrants will not stop arriving at our borders", he said.

Mariano Rajoy said that, Spain was asked at the Valletta Summit to share its experience of cooperation with Morocco, Senegal, Mauritania and other countries in West Africa. "I must say that various African leaders spoke to me of their recognition for the work Spain is doing in terms of migration-related cooperation and dialogue", he said.

Measures adopted in Valletta

Pool Moncloa / Diego CrespoThe President of the Government listed the specific measures adopted in Malta: creation of the Trust Fund for Africa with a provision of 1.8 billion euros for promoting development in the countries of origin and transit for migrants; reduction of the costs incurred when immigrants send funds to their countries of origin (in some cases, these represent 10% of their GDP); promotion of legal immigration channels and extension of grants for African researchers; improved cooperation with the countries of origin and transit to encourage readmission of illegal immigrants; the fight against the mafias; stabilisation of conflict zones; and promotion of institutionalised regional dialogue.

The President of the Government said that decisions were taken in Valletta that "represent progress" because this is about "truly resolving the issues, at least when looking at the medium and long term".

Informal EU meeting

Furthermore, Mariano Rajoy said that the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, called on the EU Heads of State and Government to attend an informal meeting after the summit at which the migrant crisis affecting the EU will be discussed. The topics relate to the intensification of cooperation with non-EU countries (including Turkey), application of the decisions reached in terms of relocation, the creation of critical points in Greece and Italy, strengthening intake capabilities and improving the shared management of external EU borders.

Answers to questions from the media

Pool Moncloa / Diego CrespoIn response to questions from the media about the announcement made by the Regional Government of Catalonia not to obey the agreement reached yesterday by the Constitutional Court, the President of the Government stressed that "saying that one is not going to follow the law demonstrates a lack of knowledge about what constitutes the basics of a democracy or a modern State. We are all subject to the law, all of us, all 46 million people who live in Spain".

At any event, he stressed that what is very important and what should give all Spaniards peace of mind is that, "in practically 48 hours, a decision was taken to suspend what the Regional Parliament of Catalonia had done". This means that "the institutions have worked: the Council of State worked quickly, as did the Government of Spain and the Constitutional Court", he said.

Mariano Rajoy stressed that, as President of the Government, what he needs to do is "ensure compliance with the law and guarantee to the people of Spain that their country is not going to break up, that Spain will not fracture and that they will not be stripped - under any circumstances - of something that is theirs, i.e. the entire national territory".