The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, through the General Directorate of the Merchant Navy, has informed the Cabildo of Fuerteventura that the stop on the island of Fuerteventura is not part of the Public Service Obligation (OSP) for the maritime route between the Peninsula and the Canary Islands. The stop was previously offered as an enhancement by the awarded company, not as a mandatory contractual condition.
Island president, Lola García, expressed her discontent, calling the State's stance "unreasonable" regarding a business decision that alters an essential service. "I regret that the minister has not considered it sufficiently relevant to address an institutional demand that directly affects the connectivity, economy, and daily life of over 127,000 citizens and the economic fabric of an entire island," she stated.
Concerns about the loss of maritime connectivity had previously been voiced by various institutions, including the Town Hall of Puerto del Rosario and the Canarian Parliament, "without us being heard." The island's double insularity already represents a structural disadvantage for Fuerteventura, and the elimination of this direct connection exacerbates this inequality.
Initial economic assessments indicate an increase in transport costs exceeding 70% due to reliance on connections via Gran Canaria. This additional cost directly impacts product prices, reduces the competitiveness of businesses, and is ultimately borne by every family in Fuerteventura. "Fuerteventura is not asking for a privilege. It demands the same treatment as any territory when an essential service for its population is at stake," García asserted.
The Insular Council of Fuerteventura has informed the Ministry that it will pursue all necessary administrative, institutional, political, and parliamentary initiatives to achieve this objective. The institution believes that Fuerteventura's demographic, economic, social, and territorial reality fully justifies the decision and that they will not renounce a claim considered fair, necessary, and strategic for the island's present and future.
