Spain’s foreign minister has summoned Italy’s ambassador after remarks by his Italian counterpart suggesting a possible suspension of the Schengen Agreement with Spain amid a surge in migration to the enclave of Ceuta.
José Manuel Albares called in the ambassador following comments by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who said the influx of migrants into the Spanish autonomous city could pose a broader security risk to Europe and backed the idea of temporarily suspending Schengen arrangements.
“This statement is unworthy of a foreign minister of a partner country and a friendly state, from which we expect European solidarity,” Albares wrote on social media.
Spanish media said more than 1,500 migrants had arrived in Ceuta from Morocco over the past week, either by swimming across the border or crossing on foot. Some sources, however, suggested the figure could be as high as 20,000.
In response to the situation, Spanish authorities have deployed military personnel to reinforce security in the enclave.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska are scheduled to visit Ceuta on July 31.
By Tamilla Hasanova
