Madrid City Council Slams AenaS Airport Homeless Ban as “Cruel adn‍ Lacking Humanity”

Madrid, Spain – The Madrid City Council has vehemently condemned Aena’s decision to prevent⁤ homeless individuals from staying at the Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport, labeling the move “cruel and without an apex of ⁤empathy and⁢ humanity.” The council argues that the airport operator’s actions are a direct result of its own “neglect​ and lack of‍ diligence”⁣ in addressing the issue of homelessness.

The ‍controversy erupted after Aena announced it would no longer permit individuals to remain in airport facilities, a decision the City Council claims disrupts ongoing social intervention efforts. Aena, though,⁤ maintains that it has repeatedly requested a “larger deployment of street teams” from the City Council to refer ⁢homeless individuals to suitable accommodation, a plea that ​has ⁣allegedly ⁢been “dismissed.”

Aena’s Stance: A Plea for Collaboration Ignored

aena asserts that it has communicated the operational measures it has been implementing in recent months to the City Council. Consequently, the airport operator states it “does not admit accusations of lack of institutional loyalty or the breach of⁤ any agreement.” The airport manager highlighted that both Aena and various ⁢NGOs have on ​”repeated occasions” urged the City Council to increase ⁢its street team presence to ensure homeless individuals​ are directed ⁤to facilities with adequate living conditions.

City Council’s Rebuttal: A “Cruel” Decision Undermining Social ⁣Work

In response, the Madrid‌ City Council declared it “will not go to the technical tables” with Aena ​and the Government to address airport homelessness, citing a “lack of loyalty” from these institutions. The council expressed “surprise” and “disagreement” ‍with Aena’s⁤ “unilateral” decision, which it ‌believes ​”interrupts the ⁢work ‌of social intervention and linking” that municipal teams had⁢ been diligently carrying out at the‍ airport.

The Consistory emphasized its commitment to strengthening social ⁢attention at ⁣the airport, including the opening of ​an emergency ‌facility ⁣with 150‌ beds ‌to accommodate individuals‍ who ‍spend nights at Barajas and are connected to the city of⁤ Madrid.

Furthermore, the city council pointed out that Aena had previously “promised to make a census of the people who stay at the ‌airport.” The council argues that this census ​will ‌be impractical to ‍complete if the terminals are cleared of​ individuals. These agreements were reportedly reached during a meeting between Aena and the City Council on May 22nd, following a period of inter-administrative conflict over obligation for the ⁣homelessness issue, at a time when approximately 400 people ⁣were ‌sleeping ‌at the airport without shelter.

The City Council’s statement suggests that the current situation, where reception centers with decent conditions ‍remain “semi-empty due to ⁤neglect and lack of diligence in the work of primary care and derivation,” is the true definition of ‌cruelty. This neglect, they‌ argue, falls ‍under the purview of ‌the ‌City Council’s legal obligations.