The mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida of the People's Party (PP), has declined to organize a welcoming ceremony for Sahrawi children from the Tindouf camps, who are participating in the Polisario's «Holidays in Peace» summer program. This decision has drawn criticism from Khadijetou El Mohatar, the Polisario Front's representative in the Spanish capital. «The mayor of Madrid doesn't have the time to organize a welcome for the Sahrawi children who come to Spain», she said on X. El Mohatar said she was surprised by the decision, considering that many mayors from (PP) have hosted welcome ceremonies for the children. Polisario media frequently report on welcome ceremonies held in honor of Sahrawi children by presidents of autonomous regions and mayors from various political parties. Yesterday, Tesh Sidi, a member of parliament from the far-left Sumar coalition, invited the children to visit the headquarters of the Spanish House of Representatives. For the record, the Forum de Soutien aux Autonomistes de Tindouf (FORSATIN) has previously criticized the Polisario for using the «Holidays in Peace» program for political purposes.
