Spain is introducing border controls for travelers from Italy
Starting at midnight on Saturday, Spain will implement border controls for passengers on flights and ships arriving from Italy. The restrictions will remain in effect until September 7 and are linked to the escalating dispute between Madrid and Rome over illegal migration.
Spanish border guards will check the passports, citizenship, and visas of passengers arriving from Italy.
The controls will apply to both Italian citizens and travelers from other countries arriving in Spain from Italian territory.
The Spanish government attributed the decision to “constant pressure from illegal migrants.”
Madrid stated that it will maintain these measures as long as Italy continues to enforce its own border controls.
Tensions between the countries arose following a mass influx of migrants into the Spanish African autonomous city of Ceuta on July 30.
According to Spanish authorities, approximately 72,000 people arrived in Ceuta at that time.
Following this, Italy introduced border controls with Spain. Rome stated that it plans to maintain them at least until August 15.
At the same time, the Italian government emphasized that it would not yield to Spain’s “ultimatums or demands.”
Italy stated that it would reconsider its decision on border controls only after ensuring there are no security or terrorism risks, as well as no threat of a new wave of migration.
In particular, Rome wants to ensure that there is no risk of a mass influx of undocumented migrants into the European Union.
As a result, Spain and Italy have effectively introduced mutual border controls, which could affect travel between the two countries in the coming weeks.
This was reported by Reuters.
The Spanish government has stated that it will take proportionate measures against travelers from Italy if Rome does not lift the controls it has imposed on people arriving from Spain by Sunday, August 9. The Italian government announced these measures amid a mass influx of people into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, which borders Morocco.
Spanish intelligence agencies identified several individuals among the migrants who arrived en masse in Ceuta who had previously been implicated in cases related to jihadist terrorism.
