The president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, called on Friday in Les Avellanes for secure borders and clear rules, but also for the capacity to receive migrants. In his opening speech at the fifth meeting of the Govern at the Monestir de les Avellanes (Os de Balaguer, Lleida), he called the widespread opposition between security and humanity a “false dilemma” and advocated “orden y valores”—order and values. Illa also referred to “150 people who lost their lives”. He cited this figure as a reminder of the humanitarian dimension of the current situation; there was initially no independent confirmation of the number given.
The remarks come against the backdrop of the crisis in Ceuta, which has continued since the end of July. On 30 and 31 July, mass and partly chaotic crossings from Moroccan territory into Ceuta temporarily overwhelmed the state’s reception and control capacities. The Spanish government responded on 26 August with a Royal Decree (Real Decreto 705/2026), establishing a uniform operational and coordination framework to maintain order, carry out returns and provide humanitarian aid.
The European Commission backed Spain’s handling of the crisis and called for returns to be accelerated. At the same time, civil society organisations urged strict respect for human rights and compliance with protection obligations. Last week, measures to strengthen border controls and their legal basis were debated domestically in the Congress ; appeals for de-escalation followed incidents in several neighbourhoods of Ceuta.
Illa presented Catalonia’s position as a balance: rules must be enforced while reception capacity and support are strengthened. He announced no specific new programmes or funding commitments for Catalonia in his speech. The focus was on setting out a normative framework for the political debates ahead. Illa said that Catalonia would act “with solidarity, responsibility and firmness”.
Facts, attributions and statements of intent must be distinguished: Illa’s call for secure borders and the capacity to receive migrants, and his reference to a high death toll as a political argument, are documented. The mass crossings at the end of July, the central government’s decree of 26 August and the European Commission’s support are established facts. The exact death toll remains unknown; Illa’s figure is subject to reservation.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).