MADRID, 19 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Government has indicated that it does not plan “in the short term” to increase the catalog of jobs in the Maritime Service of the Civil Guard in Catalonia in a parliamentary response in which, in addition, it has defended the “exclusive powers” of the State in matters of public security and has recalled the “limits” for the autonomous police forces.
The powers of these units of the Armed Institute have once again been claimed this week by associations of the Armed Institute on behalf of the security device for the Copa América de Vela in Barcelona, ??since the Generalitat said that it was going to be led by the Mossos d’ Squad.
In a parliamentary response dated January 31, consulted by Europa Press, the Executive of Pedro Sánchez recalls that the regional competence “meets certain limits”, although acknowledging that the regional police can act in matters of maritime rescue “in the waters corresponding to its coastline, which is understood to include in any case the power to impose sanctions”.
“The State has exclusive competence in matters of public security”, the Government points out in its written response, where it refers to the Constitution and adds that the foregoing is “without prejudice to the possibility of creating police forces by the autonomous communities in the manner established in the respective Statutes”.
In this sense, it indicates that the limits derive from the existence of “a possible national or supra-community interest that may be affected by the catastrophe or emergency situation”, since the State would assume the competence if it has to coordinate various administrations.
“Consequently,” he pointed out in the written response to questions from Vox, “the State must have regulatory and executive powers to exercise coordination and management tasks, counting on its own personal, patrimonial and economic means for this purpose.”
This Friday the Delegation of the Government of Catalonia has indicated in a statement that the device for the Sailing Cup – which is held in Barcelona between August and October 2024 – has not yet been designed.
A day earlier, the Minister of the Interior, Joan Ingasi Elena, had announced that the Mossos d’Esquadra would lead the security device in coordination with the Ministry of the Interior, which led to complaints from associations of civil guards. “In no case will there be a transfer or invasion of other people’s powers, both on land and at sea,” the Government Delegation settled.
Before the plenary session of the Congress of Deputies, the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, explained months ago that the powers are already defined and there is coordination between police forces. The Armed Institute, according to him, is the only one with judicial police powers in the prosecution of crimes and the Mossos assume some administrative functions.
In its parliamentary response, the Government does not offer specific data on how many Civil Guard vessels are operational in Catalonia, assuring that it is information classified as reserved. Without specifying, it ensures that a total of 145 vessels of the Maritime Service of the Civil Guard are deployed “according to operational needs.”
The Government does offer global data on the 9,513 operations carried out in Catalonia in this legislature: 2,812 inspections, 4,867 people identified, 1,085 records processed by administrative complaint, seven crimes, 292 rescues and aid and 450 security services for methane tankers, passenger ships or military.
In this sense, it refers to the Organic Law 2/1986 of State Security Forces and Corps to recall that the mission of protecting the free exercise of rights and freedoms and guaranteeing citizen security “will be exercised by the Civil Guard in the territorial sea, the extension of which will be determined by the Government at the joint proposal of the Ministries of Defense and the Interior”.
“Consequently, the territorial sea is not included in the area of ??competence of the autonomous police forces”, continues the explanation of the Executive, who also alludes to the law on ports and the merchant marine, as well as public entities such as SASEMAR, the Sociedad de Salvage and Maritime Safety attached to the Ministry with competence in the field of Development.
SASEMAR “is not limited to carrying out search and rescue functions in the territorial sea”, but they do so “beyond 12 miles, also in areas of the Air Rescue Service (SAR), including territorial waters of other countries in accordance with the international commitments assumed by the State.
