Spanish Foreign Minister: Schengen borders are completely safe, and most migrants have returned to Morocco
Madrid, July 31 (KUNA) -- Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell said on Friday that the “overwhelming majority” of migrants who entered the city of Ceuta irregularly have already returned to Morocco, affirming that the security of the Schengen area’s borders is “fully guaranteed.”
In a post on his official account on the social media platform X, Borrell stated that “no one can travel from my cities of Ceuta and Melilla to the Iberian Peninsula without possessing identification and undergoing inspection by the police,” calling for avoiding “deliberate misinformation” regarding the impact of the migration crisis on the Schengen area.
Spanish state television quoted sources in the Spanish Ministry of the Interior as saying that more than 48,000 people had returned to Morocco after approximately 50,000 entered Ceuta irregularly in recent days, marking the city’s largest migration crisis since 2021.
The repatriations followed the deployment of Spanish military units and an additional 400 officers from the National Police and the Civil Guard to contain the crisis, which has so far resulted in the deaths of 57 people, most of whom drowned while attempting to swim to the city.
Earlier on Friday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the wave of mass crossings as an “attack and violation of Spanish regional sovereignty,” pledging to use “all state resources” to protect the city and expedite the return of irregular migrants.
The crisis in Ceuta has triggered reactions across Europe. Italy suspended its Schengen agreement with Spain, a move supported by several countries including Denmark, Finland, and the Czech Republic, as well as political parties in Portugal. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron ordered an enhancement of security forces along the French border with Spain.
The United Kingdom confirmed it is in contact with the Spanish government to monitor developments in the crisis and provide necessary support, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for the immediate return of irregular migrants to Morocco.
The current crisis recalls events in May 2021, when approximately 8,000 migrants entered Ceuta in less than 48 hours, marking the largest migration crisis on the Spanish-Moroccan border at that time. (End) H.N.D. / M.A.H.A.
