MADRID — A diplomatic spat between Spain and Italy over the arrival of tens of thousands of migrants in the Spanish territory of Ceuta escalated Saturday after Madrid imposed border controls on Italian travelers in response to restrictions introduced by Rome.
Italians arriving at Barcelona airport were subjected to random police checks after the measures took effect overnight, according to Spain’s state news agency EFE.
The Spanish government said the controls would remain in place for at least a month after Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni rejected Madrid’s demand that Rome lift its restrictions by an Aug. 9 deadline. Spain had warned that it would take “proportionate measures” to protect the interests of its citizens.
Italy began enforcing air and sea border controls on travelers from Spain on Aug. 1 following Meloni’s sharp criticism of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s migration policies.
The dispute erupted after about 72,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta late last month. Most have since returned, but more than 80 people died, including migrants who drowned or were trampled in a stampede while attempting to cross a breakwater barrier, according to Spanish and Moroccan authorities.
The unprecedented influx has also reignited a broader immigration debate within the European Union, with several European leaders criticizing Spain’s migration policies.
Among the measures drawing criticism was the Spanish government’s decision to grant legal status to undocumented migrants who could demonstrate they had been living in the country for at least five months and had arrived before Jan. 1. More than 1 million people applied before the window closed at the end of July.
The dispute has put renewed pressure on the EU’s Schengen system, which generally allows people to travel across participating countries without internal border checks.
EU rules allow member states to temporarily reintroduce internal border controls when they identify a serious threat to security. Such measures, however, are intended as a last resort, must be exceptional and should remain in place only for a limited period.
Meloni’s office said Friday that Italy had “no intention” of lifting checks on travelers arriving from Spain by air or sea until at least Aug. 15.
“Italy does not accept ultimatums or impositions from abroad about national security and border control,” her office said.
Italy said it would reconsider the measures only when it was satisfied that there was no security or terrorism risk, no prospect of another large-scale influx and no irregular migrants moving toward other European countries.
Source: Saudi Gazette