Sweden and Finland Urge Spain to Act Swiftly to Address Migrant Influx
Helsinki (ANTARA) - Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has urged Spain to act quickly to “control the situation” regarding the large-scale arrival of migrants from Morocco. He emphasised that Spain must fulfil its obligations under the Schengen cooperation framework.
“If various developments risk affecting the security or migration situation in Sweden, the government is prepared to take the necessary steps to maintain order and control,” Kristersson told the Swedish News Agency, TT.
Swedish Immigration Minister Johan Forssell on Friday called for an extraordinary meeting with his Nordic counterparts. He stated that Sweden is prepared to support Spain through the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) should Madrid request assistance.
Forssell also called for increased pressure on neighbouring countries to strengthen border surveillance and prevent the secondary movement of migrants within the European Union (EU). He asserted that Spain must take responsibility for restoring control over the EU’s external borders, noting, “The circulating images are very worrying. The situation looks like chaos.”
Acting Prime Minister and Finnish Finance Minister Riikka Purra stated that EU-level measures are necessary to assist Spain in managing the situation in accordance with EU migration rules. In a post on the social media platform X, Purra questioned what lessons could be learned from the 2015 refugee crisis. She emphasised that Finland must protect its security, adding that internal border controls could be reinstated immediately if necessary.
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen also stated on X that the situation in Ceuta must be controlled, urging that “the repatriation of those who enter without authorisation must be carried out immediately.”
Spanish authorities estimate that approximately 50,000 migrants have entered the city of Ceuta from neighbouring Morocco over the last two days, marking one of the largest illegal migration crises ever recorded at the enclave’s border. The death toll among those attempting to reach Ceuta by sea has risen to at least 57 as of Friday.