The Spanish government has warned Italy that it will take “proportionate measures” if Rome does not lift border controls on travellers arriving from Spain by August 9, following a dispute over migration management after a surge in arrivals to Ceuta, an Italian newspaper writes.
Italy introduced temporary checks on travellers from Spain on August 1, citing concerns linked to the recent influx of migrants into the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta, located on the North African coast.
Madrid criticised the move, saying the suspension of free movement between the two countries was “hampering the mobility of thousands of people and creating legal uncertainty in the middle of the summer season”. The Spanish government described the measure as “unprecedented in recent history” and argued that it was adopted unilaterally and was incompatible with the Schengen Borders Code.
Spanish authorities said the migrants who entered Ceuta irregularly could not freely enter the Schengen area because of the territory’s special status, adding that “virtually all” of those who arrived had already returned to Morocco.
Madrid also pointed to Italy’s own migration figures, stating that the country had recorded the highest number of irregular crossings among EU member states in recent years, with numbers twice those reported by Spain.
The Italian government has not immediately announced whether it will remove the temporary controls.
Meanwhile, Spain’s Minister for Youth and Children, Sira Rego, travelled to Ceuta to oversee support measures for unaccompanied migrant minors. Rego said that 1,342 children had been registered and that all would receive assistance, adding that while an emergency situation had emerged, it was now “under control”.
The migration situation has also triggered political debate in Spain. The government is expected to ask Parliament on August 7 to summon Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, Defence Minister Margarita Robles and Presidency Minister Félix Bolaños for an extraordinary session on the crisis.
Government sources said the ministers are expected to appear at the end of August, while the opposition People’s Party has requested that they appear before the Senate next week.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is also scheduled to hold a video conference with several ministers to coordinate the government’s response to the situation in Ceuta.
By Aghakazim Guliyev
Source: caliber.az
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