Spain PM calls for emergency EU meeting over Ceuta crisis
Theo The Guardian
Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez has called for an emergency EU meeting after rebuking some member states for their “selfish, divisive and unlawful” response to the Ceuta border crisis. Over 50,000 people entered the Spanish enclave from Morocco, prompting political turmoil and calls to suspend Spain from Schengen.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has sent a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, and Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin – whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency – requesting an emergency meeting of EU interior ministers.
In the letter, Sánchez expressed deep concern over the response of some EU governments to the mass unauthorized crossing into Ceuta, Spain's North African territory, on Thursday and Friday. According to official figures, more than 50,000 people entered the area from Morocco, with at least 67 deaths, some by drowning and others suffering serious injuries while attempting to cross the sea barrier.
Although more than 48,000 people voluntarily returned to Morocco before 6 p.m. Friday, the mass influx has triggered a political crisis for the Madrid government and prompted some EU countries to call for suspending Spain's membership in the Schengen free-movement area.
On Friday evening, Italy announced it would suspend the Schengen agreement with Spain, even though Ceuta and Melilla – Spain's other North African territory – already operate under special Schengen rules designed to prevent onward movement within the bloc. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani blamed Sánchez's government for its decision to open a regularization program for over 1 million undocumented migrants and asylum seekers, calling it a “deeply flawed” policy that encourages human trafficking.
Tajani's remarks drew an immediate rebuke from Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, who called the comments “inappropriate” and accused Italy of “populist rhetoric lacking objectivity.”
In his letter to EU leaders, Sánchez criticized governments that chose to attack Spain and called for temporarily suspending its Schengen membership. He stressed: “Such attitudes – driven by prejudice, fake news, ignorance, or political calculation – are contrary to European law, international humanitarian law, and the principle of solidarity that binds us.”
The Spanish prime minister also cited data from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) showing that Spain's western border is one of the EU's most impenetrable external borders, with unauthorized crossings at half the level of Italy's during the 2021–2026 period. He concluded that the EU cannot accept “this type of selfish, divisive, and unlawful reaction” and proposed an urgent videoconference of EU interior ministers.
Senior EU officials are expected to meet Saturday within the framework of the “political crisis response group” chaired by Ireland, aimed at helping member states formulate a clear response based on expert advice. Irish Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan, who is the EU's point person on the matter, said he had contacted Spain's Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska to express solidarity and support.
On Saturday morning, many of those who had crossed into Ceuta returned to Morocco as Spanish police and military reinforcements were deployed. Souleil Boyan, a 19-year-old migrant from Senegal, told AFP outside a migrant reception center in Ceuta: “We hoped to reach Europe to work and earn a living. We all know that Africa offers few opportunities.”
The Spanish government issued a statement saying the situation in Ceuta remained calm with no incidents overnight Friday, arrivals had completely stopped, and departures to Morocco continued without notable events. It also said it was installing barriers at the Tarajal seawall area, including a 500-meter inflatable barrier and a line of anchored buoys.
