In Spain, Calls Were Made to Militarize the Border with Morocco Due to the Migration Crisis — El País
Against the backdrop of the migration crisis in Ceuta, Santiago Abascal, leader of the Spanish right-wing populist party Vox, called for the permanent militarization of the border with Morocco and the indefinite closure of the border crossing.
According to Abascal, the border crossing in Ceuta must remain closed until Morocco provides guarantees that such a situation will not happen again. He also called on Rabat to take back all of its citizens who, he said, are residing illegally in Spain.
In addition, the politician proposed that the European Union suspend its preferential trade agreement with Morocco until the country commits to “respecting our borders.”
Abascal also criticized Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, holding him responsible for the escalation of the situation. In his view, the government’s plans for a large-scale regularization of migrants have weakened border controls and contributed to the current crisis.
In recent days, tens of thousands of migrants have attempted to enter the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Moroccan territory. Local authorities estimate that about 60,000 people have entered the city illegally, while Spain’s Ministry of the Interior reported more than 50,000.
Source: El País.
As a reminder, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez sent a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in which he expressed deep concern over the reaction of certain European governments following the mass influx of undocumented migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.
Italy has begun conducting random checks on passengers arriving from Spain. This followed the decision by Giorgia Meloni’s government to temporarily reinstate border controls amid the migration crisis in Ceuta, Spain. Checks are being conducted at airports and seaports, including Rome’s Fiumicino.
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.
