The situation of 500 homeless people that spend the night at the Adolfo Suárez-Barajas airport terminals continues to generate controversy between public administrations. Aena, the airport manager, has shown his discontent for the lack of response from the Madrid City Council, which he accuses of “Function leave”In the resolution of the problem.
Maurici Lucenapresident of AENA, has appeared at a press conference to highlight that, although the management of social services is competence of Consistorythe entity has intensified its collaboration with the City Council in the search for solutions since the beginning of the crisis.
“Aena has turned to help the competent authorities, but it is the obligation of public power to take decisive measures,” said Lucena. In addition, he insisted that, as a infrastructure manager, the company is not prepared to solve housing problems, since airports are infrastructure “in passing. It is like that worldwide”, Has insisted the president of Aena.
In addition, Lucena has been especially critical of the statements of the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeidawho has urged the Government of Spain to “assume their responsibility.” Lucena described as “unacceptable” that Almeida has thrown responsibility for the shoulders of Aena and the central government.
“It seems unacceptable that the response of the Madrid City Council and its mayor is to throw balls out,” said the president. “It is a city management problem, not from Aena”, He added, stressing that current legislation obliges public authorities to guarantee adequate attention to homeless.
For his part, the mayor has defended the position of the City Council, ensuring that the central government must lead the solution. “This cannot be left to Aena or the City Council. It is an issue that involves several ministriesespecially those of interior and immigration, which have the ability to solve the situation, ”he explained.
In addition, Almeida has pointed out that the City Council has been working together with AENA, but is still waiting for a detailed study on people at the airport to be able to individualize solutions.
-In the same way, Reyes Marotospokesman of the PSOE at the Madrid City Council, has also intervened in the debate, remembering that “the airport is not a Municipal shelter”, And that the responsibility of addressing the problem of withouthogarism falls directly on the local administration.
The situation, which affects not only those affected, but also airport workers, has generated a growing concern about the conditions of Hygiene and Safety in the enclosure. Since February, employees have denounced the increase in fights, insects and fear in their job.
However, for Lucena, the parliamentary war is resolved with the law in hand. The president has cited the Article 11 of Law 12 of 2022 of the Community of Madrid, where it is detailed that the Madrid City Council is responsible for social services.
“AENA’s obligation as a manager of the Madrid airport is to try to help the public authorities competent in the field of Social Services to solve the problem, ”says Lucena. These authorities, according to the president, have the legal obligation to solve this problem.
“If the social services of the Madrid City Council are collapsed, it is a reflection of a Bad ordering of legal priorities that the Madrid City Council has to comply, ”the President has recriminated.
Lucena has finished her intervention by stating that, given the inaction of the City Council, Aena is obliged to resort to the expected legal mechanisms in the contentious-administrative law. “If the Consistory changes attitude, we will continue to collaborate as we have done so far,” he said.
