International Desk:
Spain has sharply rebuked several European Union member states over their response to the recent migrant influx into the North African enclave of Ceuta, accusing them of acting out of “selfishness, political interests and misinformation” instead of showing European solidarity.
The diplomatic dispute erupted after nearly 60,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta on July 30, creating one of the largest migration emergencies the enclave has experienced in years. Spanish authorities said most of the migrants have since returned to Morocco, while Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska confirmed that the death toll linked to the crisis has risen to 67.
The controversy deepened when Italy temporarily suspended its Schengen border arrangements with Spain for one month. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the scenes in Ceuta as “shocking,” with Finland and Denmark expressing support for Italy’s decision. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš also called for Spain’s temporary suspension from the Schengen system.
In a letter addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez defended his government’s handling of the crisis, saying border control had been fully restored within 48 hours and that no unauthorised movement toward mainland Europe had been allowed.
Sánchez argued that while many European governments had shown solidarity, others had chosen to criticise Spain based on “prejudice, fake news, ignorance, or political interest.” He also stressed that Ceuta is not part of the Schengen Area, making some of the criticism legally and politically misplaced.
Meanwhile, Spain has reinforced security in both Ceuta and Melilla, deploying troops, additional police officers, drones, patrol boats and specialist rescue teams to prevent further irregular crossings. The Spanish prime minister blamed human trafficking networks for orchestrating the mass movement of migrants and described the incident as an attack on Spain’s territorial integrity.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the scenes in Ceuta “unacceptable,” while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz backed Spain’s efforts to curb illegal migration and urged Morocco to take back migrants who had crossed unlawfully.
According to EU Commissioner Magnus Brunner, no migrants have crossed from Ceuta into mainland European Union territory since the crisis began.
The migrant surge follows a Spanish Supreme Court ruling in June requiring legal procedures before migrants intercepted at sea near Ceuta or Melilla can be returned to Morocco, adding another layer of complexity to Spain’s migration policy.
Source: BBC
