- Spain announced Friday it would proceed with heightened controls, citing what it said was "persistent irregular migration pressure" facing Italy.
- Spain's Interior Ministry said the new checks on travelers from Italy would apply until Sept 7.
- Italians arriving at Barcelona airport were subject to random police checks after the controls were put into effect overnight, according to Spain's state news agency EFE.
- The latest measures followed the sudden arrival of more than 70,000 migrants from Morocco at Ceuta on July 30 and 31; almost all returned to Morocco within 48 hours, although more than 80 migrants died.
- Meloni's office said Friday that Italian authorities "have no intention" of lifting border checks on people arriving from Spain by sea or air until at least Aug 15.
- Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has criticized the migration policies of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
Spain has begun border checks on travelers from Italy, effective until September 7, in response to Italy's enforcement of similar measures. This action comes amid a migration dispute triggered by a significant influx of migrants into Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa.
The Spanish Interior Ministry cited "persistent irregular migration pressure" as the reason for the new checks, which were implemented after Italy began enforcing air and sea border controls on Spanish citizens from August 1, effectively suspending Schengen free movement rules.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has publicly criticized the migration policies of her Spanish counterpart, Pedro Sanchez. Meloni's office stated that Italian authorities "have no intention" of lifting border checks on travelers from Spain until at least August 15.
The situation escalated following the arrival of over 70,000 migrants from Morocco at Ceuta on July 30 and 31, with tragic outcomes as more than 80 migrants died, including drownings and fatalities from a stampede.
As the situation develops, both countries are grappling with the implications of these border controls and the ongoing migration crisis.
“The checks follow the sudden arrival of more than 70,000 migrants from Morocco at Ceuta on July 30-31, where over 80 died. Italy's Meloni has criticized Sanchez's policies, and Italy will keep its own checks on arrivals from Spain until at least Aug 15.”
