Italy is screening passengers from Spain due to the crisis in Ceuta
Italy has begun conducting random checks on passengers arriving from Spain. This follows the decision by Giorgia Meloni’s government to temporarily reinstate border controls amid the migration crisis in Ceuta, Spain. The checks are being conducted at airports and seaports, including Rome’s Fiumicino.
Random checks of passengers arriving from Spain began in Italy this Saturday. This was prompted by the decision of Giorgia Meloni’s government to temporarily suspend the Schengen Agreement amid the migration crisis in Ceuta. Checks are being conducted, in particular, at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport. During the summer, it handles an average of about 55 flights from Spain daily.
Airport officials confirmed that checks are being conducted on flights from Madrid, Barcelona, and Málaga. Italian state police officers are asking passengers to show their passport or another form of identification. Both EU citizens and people from other countries are being checked. Passengers are asked to present their documents after disembarking from the plane. In this way, law enforcement officers determine the passengers’ citizenship.
Checks are also being conducted before departure
Random checks were also conducted before departure from the airport. In particular, law enforcement officers checked documents in the public area where passengers typically wait after retrieving their luggage. According to some travelers, these checks caused minor delays in flight departures. At the same time, some passengers took the increased security measures in stride and agreed with the need for such measures.
The intensified checks are linked to the migration crisis in Ceuta. This Spanish enclave in North Africa has faced a massive attempt by migrants to enter its territory from Morocco. Against this backdrop, European countries have begun discussing a joint response to migration pressures and measures to strengthen control over the EU’s external borders, according to El Mundo.
On Saturday, Spain began installing a 500-meter-long inflatable floating barrier near the border with Morocco in the Ceuta area. This decision was made following a sharp increase in the number of migrants attempting to enter the Spanish enclave.
