The president of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has sent a letter to the European Union to request an extraordinary videoconference of the European interior ministers “urgently” following this week’s migration crisis in Ceuta.
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In the letter, the head of government expresses his “deep concern about the recent reaction that some European governments have shown after the incident,” in which around 50,000 Maghreb migrants entered the Spanish enclave irregularly. Sánchez assures that the government has managed, in less than 48 hours, to “fully restore border control, provide extensive humanitarian assistance, and return practically all the migrants who crossed,” preventing any unauthorized movement towards continental Europe.
Sánchez assures that the attitude of some European countries goes against the interests of the EU
The socialist leader states that this has been achieved “in close coordination with Moroccan authorities and with very limited support from other European states,” describing the European Union’s reaction to the crisis as “quite uneven.” “Most have shown us their support and solidarity and have offered their help. Others, however, have chosen to attack Spain and call for its temporary exclusion from the Schengen area,” the president says in the statement.
In this regard, Sánchez affirms that this attitude “driven by prejudice, false news, ignorance, or political interests” is contrary to European Union law, international humanitarian law, and the EU’s principles of solidarity.
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“It goes against Europe’s long-term interests and the most basic common sense, because Ceuta is not part of the Schengen area, because there are hardly any irregular migrants left without being returned, and because Spain is, according to Frontex, one of the least permeable external borders of the European Union,” the Spanish leader says, comparing Spanish figures with those of Italy, which this Friday announced a closure of the Schengen area only to clarify that controls will not affect Spanish and European travelers and will be limited to third-country nationals.
In the statement, Sánchez harshly criticizes the countries that requested Spain’s expulsion from the Schengen area, stating that in the current international context, the European Union cannot afford such selfish, polarizing, and unlawful reactions. For this reason, the head of government reiterates the need to “reaffirm that the security of our external borders is a shared responsibility of all member states, and not only those on the front line of the Union.”
