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.
172 Articles
172 Articles
Brisbane Times
The Age‘A torpedo’: Italy-Spain border blow-up now a major headache for Europe – and Australian travellers
A sudden move to deepen the dispute could ensnare thousands of travellers moving between the two countries – and erode an agreement on passport checks across Europe.
The Spanish Interior Ministry announced that it will impose controls on travelers arriving from Italy in response to the suspension of the Schengen agreement between the country and Italy.
Spain has announced stricter screening of air and sea travelers from Italy for one month in retaliation for Italy's suspension of Schengen visas for travelers from Spain following the outbreak of the Ceuta refugee crisis.
Jerusalem Post
GMA Filipino NewsSpain to establish border controls on travelers from Italy amid migration dispute
Passport, nationality, visa checks would be conducted for Italian passengers and visitors from other countries arriving from Italy "amid the persistent irregular migratory pressure" from the country.
Spain will introduce temporary border controls at its ports and airports for travelers from Italy, in response to similar measures imposed by Rome after the massive influx of migrants into Ceuta, the Interior Ministry announced on Friday, August 7.
Spain will introduce temporary border controls at its ports and airports for travellers from Italy.
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