aly urges review of Spain’s Schengen status over migration crisis

Italy has proposed reviewing Spain’s participation in the Schengen Area

Against the backdrop of mass attempts by illegal migrants to break into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Italian government officials called for tough measures against Madrid, including a review of the terms of Spain’s participation in the Schengen Area. At the same time, Rome announced its readiness to strengthen the protection of its own borders.

Photo © El Confidencial Thousands of migrants have arrived at the border between Castillejos (Morocco) and Ceuta to try to cross the barrier separating the two cities.

According to Politico, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated that the footage from Ceuta demonstrates Europe’s inability to effectively control its external borders. She said that uncontrolled illegal migration poses a direct threat to the EU’s security, and that Italy is prepared to use all measures provided for by law to protect its national territory.

Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani echoed Meloni’s calls. They called for considering the suspension of the Schengen rules with regard to Spain, accusing Madrid of pursuing an overly lenient migration policy.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government’s plans to legalize the status of hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants came under particularly sharp criticism. According to Tajani, such initiatives only encourage the activities of human traffickers and increase migratory pressure on the European Union’s southern borders.

Madrid responded promptly to the statements by the Italian politicians. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares summoned the Italian ambassador and called these statements unacceptable in relations between EU member states, accusing Rome of exploiting the migration issue for political gain.

The European Commission, on the other hand, publicly supported Spain. Brussels confirmed that it is assisting in the protection of the European Union’s external border and coordinating efforts with the Spanish authorities. The European Commission also emphasized that Morocco remains a key EU partner in managing migration flows and combating human trafficking.

This new diplomatic conflict shows that migration is once again becoming one of the most pressing issues in European politics. Disagreements among EU countries over the protection of external borders and the distribution of the migration burden continue to intensify, calling into question the sustainability of the system of free movement within the Schengen Area.