Formentera's island government plans to formally request permission to use the migrant reception facility at Ibiza's Botafoc port as an emergency accommodation option for unaccompanied foreign minors if its own resources once again reach capacity.

The request comes as Formentera continues to deal with pressure on its emergency accommodation system following repeated arrivals of minors by boat during the summer.

Around 250 Minors Under Formentera's Tutelage

The Consell de Formentera currently has around 250 unaccompanied foreign minors under its tutelage, although the young people are distributed among different centres, mainly in Mallorca.

Around 40 generally remain on Formentera while the necessary identification and assessment procedures are carried out before they can be transferred to other facilities.

The figure highlights the considerable pressure placed on an island with limited emergency accommodation capacity.

Emergency Facility Has Capacity for 40

Formentera has an emergency resource designed to accommodate up to 40 unaccompanied minors while places are found in other centres.

That capacity was severely tested during the summer.

In July, more than 70 minors were reportedly present at the same time, exceeding the available space and leaving the island administration searching for additional emergency accommodation.

The situation prompted the Consell to look for temporary alternatives outside its existing facilities.

Botafoc Could Become an Emergency Option

The new proposal would involve transporting some of the minors from Formentera to the temporary facility at Botafoc in Ibiza.

The possibility was raised during a recent conversation between Formentera president Óscar Portas and Ibiza and Formentera senator Neus Massanet.

Portas said Massanet suggested that the Consell submit a formal request to use the Botafoc facility in an emergency situation.

The request has now been signed by Formentera's councillor for Social Affairs, Cristina Costa, and is due to be sent to the Government Delegation.

Different From the Previous Request

The proposal comes after a dispute earlier this year over the use of the migrant facility at La Savina in Formentera.

When the island experienced a shortage of accommodation following the arrival of 13 unaccompanied minors in June, the Consell asked to use the facility temporarily.

That request was rejected by the Government Delegation.

The Government Delegation subsequently stated that the La Savina facility was designed for the temporary custody of adult migrants awaiting transfer to Ibiza and was not considered an appropriate accommodation facility for minors.

It also said that an exceptional alternative involving the Botafoc facility in Ibiza had been discussed, although the Consell did not formally submit the required request at that time.

The Legal and Logistical Questions

Using Botafoc would not be straightforward.

Portas acknowledged that transporting minors from Formentera to Ibiza raises both logistical and legal questions.

Some of the young people may not yet have documentation, while the Formentera administration would continue to hold responsibility for their protection and care.

The Consell therefore needs to establish who would be responsible for the minors once they were transferred to Ibiza and how supervision would operate around the clock.

The Government Delegation would also need to approve the request and establish the conditions under which the facility could be used.

A Temporary Measure, Not a New Centre

The proposal is being considered as an emergency measure rather than a permanent relocation of minors.

The intention would be to use the Botafoc facility only when Formentera's own emergency accommodation is unable to cope with new arrivals.

Once identification and assessment procedures are completed and appropriate places become available elsewhere, the minors could then be transferred to longer-term accommodation.

The Wider Capacity Problem

The situation reflects a broader pressure on the Balearic Islands' system for protecting unaccompanied foreign minors.

The national framework establishes ordinary capacity levels for the protection systems of the autonomous communities. The latest government calculation gives the Balearic Islands an ordinary capacity of 434 places.

That figure does not represent the number of spaces physically available on Formentera itself, where the island's geography and limited number of facilities make emergency accommodation particularly difficult to expand quickly.

Formentera Seeks More Flexibility

For the Consell, access to another emergency facility would provide greater flexibility when several boats arrive within a short period.

The island administration has repeatedly argued that it needs additional support because the number of minors arriving has grown significantly beyond the capacity it was originally expected to manage.

The proposed arrangement with Botafoc would not resolve the wider issue, but it could provide an emergency option when local resources are exhausted.

Request Now Being Prepared

The formal request is expected to be sent to the Government Delegation shortly.

Only after the request has been assessed can it be determined whether Botafoc can legally and practically be used for this purpose, and under what conditions.

Formentera therefore remains dependent on a number of decisions before the proposal can become operational.

For now, the island is preparing for the possibility that its emergency accommodation could again be overwhelmed.

The proposed use of the Botafoc facility would provide an additional option, but the logistical, legal and safeguarding arrangements still need to be resolved before any minors could be transferred there.