The president of the Consell de Formentera, Óscar Portas, has demanded that the Spanish Government provide the island with direct and timely information about the expected arrival of migrant boats, arguing that Formentera cannot be left to learn about developments from the security forces or the media after the boats have already reached the island.

Portas described the situation as "unacceptable" and said the State had information indicating a high risk of increased maritime arrivals to the Balearic Islands but had not passed that information on to the island administrations responsible for responding on the ground.

His comments came as Formentera continues to deal with a sharp increase in the number of people arriving on the island who are initially considered possible minors. The Consell says the pressure has been particularly significant during the summer and has stretched the resources available for first reception and protection.

The issue was also raised during Portas' meeting on Friday, September 4, with Neus Massanet, the new senator representing Ibiza and Formentera. Portas asked for improved communication channels with the State and direct information about the number of boats and people arriving on the island.

Portas: "We cannot be the first to attend and the last to be informed"

Portas criticised what he described as a lack of institutional communication between the Spanish Government and Formentera.

"We cannot be the first to attend and the last to be informed," the Consell president said.

His complaint centres on the fact that Formentera is one of the main arrival points for irregular maritime migration reaching the Balearic Islands, while the island has considerably fewer resources than larger territories.

According to Portas, the Consell currently learns about arrivals through the security forces or the media rather than receiving direct notification from the Government Delegation.

He argued that this makes it difficult for the island administration to prepare staff, facilities and other resources before boats arrive.

Formentera's small size makes preparation especially difficult

Portas stressed that the problem has to be considered in the context of Formentera's size.

The island has a population of a little over 12,000 residents and has far more limited human, material and physical resources than Mallorca or the other larger islands.

The Consell's argument is that even a relatively limited number of arrivals can create a significant pressure on a small administration when it involves reception, age assessment, healthcare and protection of minors.

Portas said the island should not have to wait for a hypothetical mass-arrival episode before receiving information and additional support.

He argued that the existing figures already show an exceptional situation requiring greater preparation and coordination.

198 confirmed minors have arrived in the first eight months of 2026

According to figures cited by the Consell, 253 people arriving in Formentera between January and August 2026 were initially considered possible minors.

Following the relevant assessment process, 198 were confirmed to be under 18, while 55 were not ultimately determined to be minors.

The 198 confirmed minors recorded in the first eight months of 2026 already represent a 75.2 percent increase compared with the number of confirmed minors who arrived during the whole of 2025.

During 2025, Formentera recorded 113 confirmed minor arrivals.

The comparison is one of the central pieces of evidence being used by the Consell to argue that the island is already experiencing an extraordinary level of pressure rather than simply preparing for a possible future increase.

July and August brought particularly high pressure

The figures for the summer months underline the intensity of the situation.

According to the Consell, 60 people initially considered possible minors arrived in July. Of those, 50 were ultimately confirmed to be minors.

Another 60 possible minors arrived in August, with 34 eventually confirmed as minors.

Together, July and August therefore accounted for 84 confirmed minor arrivals.

The Consell also said that more than 20 minors arrived during the final week of August alone, meaning several arrivals occurred within a matter of days.

For a small island administration, that concentration of arrivals can create a significant demand for reception, assessment, healthcare and accommodation resources.

The Consell wants better information before boats arrive

Portas' main request is not simply for more information after arrivals occur. He wants authorities on Formentera to receive information early enough to prepare.

The Consell says it currently learns of arrivals through police forces or news reports rather than through direct communication from the Government Delegation.

Portas argues that an administration responsible for activating resources and assuming responsibility for subsequent care should receive the relevant information directly.

He said that knowing in advance about an elevated risk of increased arrivals would allow Formentera to better organise its available resources and prepare for additional demands.

The issue was raised with new senator Neus Massanet

Portas raised the matter during his first institutional meeting with Neus Massanet, who became the new senator for Ibiza and Formentera on July 23.

The meeting took place on Friday, September 4, at the Consell of Formentera.

Migration was one of the main subjects discussed, particularly the pressure created by the island's responsibility for the protection and care of unaccompanied migrant minors.

Portas used the meeting to ask for stronger communication between the island administration and the State.

The request includes direct information about the number of boats arriving and the number of people aboard them.

The Consell is also asking for more resources

Communication is only one part of Portas' wider demand.

The Consell is also calling for additional human, technical and medical resources for the first stage of reception.

One area highlighted is the process of determining whether people arriving are actually minors.

The administration wants more resources to carry out age-assessment procedures as rigorously as possible.

It also wants stronger initial medical assessments so that injuries or illnesses can be identified as soon as people arrive.

Age assessment is an important part of the process

The distinction between people initially considered possible minors and those subsequently confirmed to be minors is significant in the figures released by the Consell.

Of the 253 arrivals initially considered possible minors between January and August, 198 were ultimately confirmed as minors.

The remaining 55, representing 21.7 percent of that group, were not determined to be minors.

The figures show why the administration says it needs sufficient staff and technical capacity at the first stage of the process. Each arrival has to be assessed before the appropriate protection arrangements can be established.

The Consell wants this process to be carried out with the necessary level of accuracy while ensuring that people who are genuinely under 18 receive the appropriate protection.

Healthcare is another concern

Portas has also stressed the importance of medical assessments when people arrive on the island.

The Consell says it needs sufficient healthcare resources to identify potential injuries and illnesses during the initial reception process.

This is particularly important when people have travelled long distances by sea in small vessels and may arrive after difficult conditions.

The demand for medical resources adds another layer of pressure to an island that has a relatively small permanent population and limited infrastructure.

First-line workers described as overwhelmed

Portas recognised the work being carried out by the people directly involved in the response.

He specifically acknowledged the efforts of first-response professionals, security forces, health services and personnel working in the child-protection system.

At the same time, he described those frontline resources as overwhelmed by the current situation.

His argument is that Formentera's local institutions are doing their part but cannot be expected to manage increasing pressure without greater support and coordination from the central government.

Formentera says it is already dealing with an exceptional situation

The Consell's position is that the island does not need to wait for an unusually large arrival event to face a crisis.

The figures from the first eight months of 2026 are being presented as evidence that the pressure has already reached an exceptional level.

With 198 confirmed minors arriving by the end of August, the annual figure had already surpassed the 113 recorded throughout 2025.

There were still four months remaining in 2026 when Portas made his comments.

That is why the Consell is calling for anticipation rather than a response only once additional boats have already arrived.

Recent arrivals have added to the pressure

The latest figures come after a series of migrant boat arrivals around Formentera during the summer.

In August, for example, authorities reported multiple boats reaching or being intercepted around the island over several days.

On August 17, 55 migrants arrived in two boats, with one group of 27 reaching the Es Caló area and another 28 people located at s'Estufador.

Earlier in August, several boats were also intercepted around Formentera, with authorities reporting arrivals in locations including s'Estufador and La Mola.

These incidents are separate from the Consell's specific figures on confirmed minors, but they illustrate the continuing arrival activity around the island.

The Balearic Islands are experiencing continued maritime arrivals

Formentera's concerns also form part of a wider migration situation affecting the Balearic Islands.

According to figures reported by Europa Press from Ministry of the Interior and Government Delegation information, 4,488 migrants had arrived in the Balearic Islands aboard 238 boats by August 17.

Formentera has been one of the locations repeatedly affected by these arrivals because of its position within the maritime route from North Africa towards the Balearic Islands.

The island's small population and limited infrastructure make the impact of repeated arrivals particularly significant for its local authorities.

Portas says the State must assume its share of responsibility

The Formentera president has not argued that the island should avoid its responsibilities.

Instead, he has called for the central government to take a greater role in anticipation, communication and support.

His position is that the Consell will continue attending to people who arrive, but needs sufficient information and resources to do so effectively.

Portas described the absence of advance communication as a failure of institutional coordination and said Formentera deserves greater cooperation from the State.

A political and administrative dispute

The issue is increasingly becoming an institutional dispute between Formentera and the Spanish Government over how information about migration should be shared.

Portas' criticism is specifically directed at the lack of direct advance communication from the Government Delegation.

The available reports establish the Consell's complaint and the actions it is requesting. They do not establish, however, that the Government intentionally concealed information from Formentera.

The precise origin, timing and handling of any risk assessment concerning increased arrivals have not been fully detailed publicly in the sources reviewed.

For that reason, it is more accurate to report this as Portas' accusation of inadequate communication rather than state that the Government deliberately withheld information.

What Formentera is asking for

The Consell's requests can be summarised around several areas.

Direct and timely information about migrant boat arrivals.

Advance warning when authorities identify a significant risk of increased maritime arrivals.

More human resources for first reception and child protection.

Additional technical resources for age assessment.

More healthcare capacity for initial medical examinations.

Better coordination between the Spanish Government, security services and island authorities.

More detailed information about the number of boats and people arriving.

These demands have been presented by Portas as necessary to allow Formentera to plan its response rather than react after boats have already reached the island.

The role of unaccompanied minors is particularly important

The most immediate pressure described by the Consell concerns unaccompanied minors.

When people arriving are confirmed to be under 18 and without an accompanying responsible adult, the island administration has responsibilities for their protection.

That creates a continuing demand for accommodation, social services, healthcare, education and other forms of support.

The number of confirmed minors recorded so far in 2026 has consequently become a central part of the political discussion.

The Consell says the 198 confirmed minors registered between January and August already represent an increase of 75.2 percent over the entire 2025 figure.

What happens next?

Portas has now raised the issue directly with the island's new senator, Neus Massanet, establishing another channel through which the Consell can press the central government for changes.

The immediate request is for a more reliable flow of information between the State and Formentera.

At the same time, the island continues to deal with arrivals and the associated demands on its services.

The coming months will determine whether the number of arrivals continues to rise and whether additional resources or changes to the current coordination system are introduced.

Formentera wants to know what is coming before it arrives

The central message from Óscar Portas is straightforward: Formentera wants advance information about potential increases in migrant arrivals so that the island can prepare.

The Consell says it is already managing an exceptional situation, with 198 confirmed minors arriving during the first eight months of 2026 compared with 113 during the whole of 2025.

July and August alone accounted for 84 confirmed minors, while more than 20 arrived during the final week of August.

For an island with just over 12,000 residents and limited resources, the administration argues that preparation and coordination are essential.

Portas is therefore asking the Spanish Government for direct information, additional support and stronger coordination, while acknowledging the work of the frontline services currently dealing with the arrivals.

The political dispute is now centred less on whether Formentera is experiencing pressure and more on how the different levels of government should communicate and share responsibility for managing it.

Key Facts

Location: Formentera, Balearic Islands

Consell president: Óscar Portas

Main issue: Advance information and coordination concerning migrant boat arrivals

Meeting with senator Neus Massanet: September 4, 2026

Possible minors arriving January-August 2026: 253

Confirmed minors from that group: 198

People not ultimately determined to be minors: 55

Confirmed minors arriving during all of 2025: 113

Increase in confirmed minors compared with the full 2025 figure: 75.2%

Confirmed minors arriving in July and August 2026: 84

Population of Formentera: Just over 12,000

Main requests: Direct information, greater coordination and additional human, technical and medical resources