Spain Gives Italy Two Days to Lift Border Checks on Spanish Travellers
Spain says Italy’s checks are unjustified and discriminatory, warning of reciprocal steps if Rome does not reverse them by Sunday.
- On Friday, Spain threatened to impose reciprocal measures on travellers from Italy unless Rome lifts its border controls by Sunday, August 9, citing concerns over the Schengen arrangement.
- Italy partially suspended Schengen arrangements to prevent migrants from the mass influx into Ceuta from travelling onward, after about 72,000 people crossed the border and about 80 migrants died.
- Madrid dismissed the border suspension as based on "spurious arguments," asserting migrants in Ceuta could not access Schengen, and labeled the checks "unjustified, contrary to the interests of the European Union and discriminatory against the Spanish population."
- The dispute marks a new low in relations between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez, as Italy has registered the highest number of "irregular crossings in recent years," double those of Spain.
- Meloni advocates for tighter immigration controls, while Sanchez supports a more liberal approach including regularisation; Italy did not immediately comment on the Spanish ultimatum.
159 Articles
159 Articles
Spain challenges Italy over travel suspension
Spain on Friday threatened Italy with countermeasures if Rome did not lift this week its one-month suspension of the free-travel Schengen agreement, introduced after the mass migrant rush to Ceuta. The rare spat between the EU and Nato allies came after tens of thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco to the Spanish north African territory last week in an unprecedented and deadly rush. The scenes infuriated other European Union members that ba…
Spain will introduce temporary border controls for travelers from Italy at midnight. This is in response to Italy's introduction of border controls for travelers from Spain after tens of thousands of migrants invaded the Spanish enclave of Ceuta last week.
The great migratory pressure into the Spanish North Africa exclave continues to cause tension between Madrid and Rome. Because Italy refuses to stop its border controls, Spain is now also controlling.
A rare scramble between two EU allies comes after 72 000 migrants have recently crossed the border from Morocco to the Spanish territory of Ceuta.
Controls should be maintained until 7 September.Measurement was taken after Rome refused to lift controls similar to travellers from Spain
Spain is implementing border controls for travelers from Italy. The checks will take place starting tonight, the Spanish government has announced. The news comes at a time when the countries are in dispute over unlawful migration. Italy had previously introduced checks for travelers from Spain. The additional checks at ports and airports apply to all travelers arriving from Italy, both Italians and people of other nationalities, and will remain…
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