The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, has described this Tuesday as "frivolous" the criticisms launched from Italy after the recent migration crisis in Ceuta, emphasizing that the Spanish border in the two autonomous cities constitutes the "most complex in the world." Furthermore, he has lashed out at the "falsehoods" spread in recent days by the government of Giorgia Meloni for "internal political interest."
During the press conference held in Ceuta after meeting with the president of the autonomous city, Juan Jesús Vivas, Albares detailed that, in his contacts with his EU counterparts, including the commissioners for Home Affairs and for the Mediterranean, he is dedicated to dismantling the "falsehoods" and the "self-interested, partisan, ideological uses" that, in his view, are being made of what is happening in the city.
"I convey the reality of this city to work together and to strengthen the most unique, most complex, most special border that the European Union has along with that of Melilla," the minister emphasized, before reiterating that none of the people who have entered Ceuta irregularly have traveled to the Peninsula "nor can they do so" thanks to a "double border control filter." "I explain to my European colleagues that Ceuta and Melilla guarantee the integrity of the Schengen area," he insisted.
In this context, he indicated that, in his discussions, what he perceives "mostly" is the conviction that Spain and Ceuta deserve the "support, involvement, and solidarity" of the other community partners. However, he has criticized the "confrontation" and "disinformation" that, he has denounced, are promoted by "some."
Albares has referred to the "reactionary international," with its "terminals in Europe and Spain included," which, he stated, has decided to "coordinate," not "to resolve the situation, but to exploit it for their own, partisan, and ideological benefit."
Criticism of Meloni and the new migration controls
The head of Spanish diplomacy has placed Giorgia Meloni's government among those who, due to that partisan interest and their "internal electoral needs," are trying to profit from this "unprecedented situation." He also emphasized the paradox that "the country with the highest number of irregular entries in Europe," specifically double that of Spain, has decided to impose "migration controls on flights and boats arriving from Spain."
At this point, Albares has specified that the movements of irregular immigrants between Spain and Italy are usually "minimal," as they "practically do not reach one percent."
"All Europeans need to be aware that when we talk about the border of Ceuta and Melilla, which is the border of Spain and the border of the European Union, we are talking not only about the most complex and special border in Europe but also about the most complex and special border in the world, which is the border of Europe with Africa," the minister has stated.
And he has added: "That says it all and, therefore, one cannot speak with the lightness and frivolity with which the Italian government has been speaking."
The criticisms of the Spanish Government have not been limited to Meloni. The Prime Minister of Denmark, the social democrat Mette Frederiksen, has aligned with the Italian by questioning the policies of "uncontrolled immigration," while the Swedish Prime Minister, the 'moderate' Ulf Kristersson, has defined the extraordinary regularization of immigrants approved by Pedro Sánchez's Executive as "a very bad idea."
Call for more European support for Ceuta and Melilla
In the same appearance, Albares has again demanded that the European Union strengthen its support for Ceuta and Melilla, taking into account "its specificity also from a social and economic point of view."
As a final message, he has appealed to work for Ceuta from the unity of all Spanish political forces, "regardless of political color," and also from "the unity of all Europeans," with the aim of addressing migratory pressure and protecting the external community border.