Andorra Border Police Endure Freezing Conditions in Decrepit River Post
Officers at Runer River border face no heating, dampness, and decay for months, working in 10-12°C amid failed repairs and budget delays.
Key Points
- Central heating failed in October, dropping indoor temps to 10-12°C vs. 21°C standard.
- Officers work 13-hour shifts in coats; temporary radiators leak or overheat.
- Long-term issues: crumbling walls, dim lighting, unusable search areas, repeated sanitation breakdowns.
- Agents call site 'abandoned'; past complaints yield only short-term patches, no permanent fixes.
Police officers at Andorra's Runer River border post, on the Spanish frontier, continue to endure harsh working conditions in outdated facilities, including no central heating for three months, pervasive dampness, inadequate lighting, and structural decay.
The central heating system failed in October, leaving indoor temperatures in search rooms, interrogation areas, and rest spaces at 10-12°C—far below the 21°C winter standard set for government buildings in August 2022. Officers, who often work 13-hour shifts from 6am to 7pm, must wear heavy coats and anoraks even while eating meals or drafting reports. Temporary oil radiators, some prone to overheating or leaking, provide limited relief while awaiting a replacement part.
These issues compound long-standing problems dating back at least five years. Lighting remains dim, with more bulbs out than functional. Walls crumble in spots, chairs are patched with police-marked duct tape, and plastic windows fail to seal against drafts. Search areas are unusable due to gaps and ill-fitting doors. Sanitation has faltered repeatedly: toilets for detainees clogged in 2024, spreading odors; water service was cut for a month in October 2021, forcing agents to rely on customs colleagues' facilities until budget constraints were resolved. Previous fixes after a flash flood and central heating breakdowns—such as four years ago and two years ago with an underpowered heat pump—have proven inadequate, quickly deteriorating.
Agents from the Borders and Immigration Unit describe the site as "abandoned" and akin to "degrading treatment," relying heavily on paper records amid outdated computers. They note that minor issues escalate due to delayed repairs, a pattern also seen at the Baladrà post on the French border. Recent vehicle fleet upgrades have not addressed the building's woes.
"We've stayed quiet to give time for proper fixes," sources said, expressing frustration after past complaints yielded only short-term patches. No permanent solutions have been announced.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources: