EU Praises Spain's Swift Handling of Migrant Crisis in Ceuta

The European Union has praised Spain’s swift handling of the migrant crisis in Ceuta, the Spanish exclave in North Africa. The commendation came after a meeting of the bloc’s interior ministers on Tuesday. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated that around 72,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta on 30 and 31 July. An estimated 70,000 of them have since been returned to Morocco. At least 75 people died at the Spanish border, with 11 more deaths reported in Morocco.

The meeting was convened after several EU members criticised Spain’s handling of the situation. Italy labelled footage from Ceuta as ‘horrifying’ and suspended the Schengen agreement with Spain. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the ‘uncontrolled immigration’ as a security threat. Italy’s move was supported by Finland and Denmark, while Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš urged a temporary suspension of Spain’s Schengen membership.

Irish Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan, who chaired the meeting, stressed that the EU stands in solidarity with Spain and that the migration issue requires a ‘united European response.’ Responding to the criticism, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said most countries showed support, but some governments chose to attack Spain ‘driven by prejudice, fake news, ignorance, or political interests.’ Following the meeting, Grande-Marlaska confirmed that the Schengen area was not disrupted and expressed hope that Italy would soon lift the additional controls.

EU Commissioner Magnus Brunner described the incident as a ‘test of European border resilience and security’ that was successfully managed. The EU has also offered emergency financial assistance to Spain. The sudden influx of tens of thousands of migrants within hours is suspected to have been triggered by criminal networks and social media disinformation, following a Spanish Supreme Court ruling that migrants intercepted at sea cannot be summarily returned to Morocco.

At the scene, hundreds of migrants gathered near the coast to receive food and water aid, while some slept on the streets. Concerns have been raised regarding the treatment of unaccompanied migrant children, with around 800 placed in holding facilities. The Spanish government has allocated approximately 25 million euros to assist children in Ceuta.