Spain had regained full control of the border and prevented any “unauthorised onward movement towards continental Europe” within 48 hours
By Moses Okorie
Spain has strongly criticised the response of several European Union member states to the recent influx of around 60,000 migrants from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, describing their reaction as “selfish, polarising and unlawful.”
Spanish authorities said that nearly all of the migrants who crossed into Ceuta on 30 July have since returned to Morocco. However, Spain’s Interior Minister confirmed on Saturday that the death toll linked to the surge in crossings has risen to at least 67.
The migration crisis has sparked sharp divisions within the European Union. Italy temporarily suspended the Schengen border-free arrangement with Spain, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni describing the scenes in Ceuta as “shocking.” Finland and Denmark backed Italy’s decision, while Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš called for the temporary suspension of Spain’s participation in the Schengen system.
In response to the growing tensions, EU interior ministers are scheduled to hold an emergency video conference on Tuesday to discuss the situation.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called for urgent talks, stressing that “the security of our external borders is a shared responsibility of all Member States.”
His appeal was supported by 22 of the EU’s 27 member states, which signed an open letter expressing “serious concerns” over the developments in Ceuta. The letter welcomed the close cooperation between Spain and Morocco to facilitate the swift return of migrants, while urging coordinated EU action to help Spain restore effective border control and prevent further irregular crossings.
In a separate letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Sánchez defended his government’s handling of the crisis, saying Spain had regained full control of the border and prevented any “unauthorised onward movement towards continental Europe” within 48 hours.
While acknowledging the solidarity shown by many European partners, Sánchez criticised governments that had publicly attacked Spain, accusing them of acting out of “prejudice, fake news, ignorance, or political interest.” He also pointed out that Ceuta is not part of the Schengen Area, countering claims that the incident posed an immediate threat to the bloc’s passport-free travel zone.
“The European Union cannot afford this kind of selfish, polarising and unlawful reaction,” Sánchez said.
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Saturday that he had spoken with Sánchez and that the United Kingdom was “providing what help we can” in response to the crisis.