Madrid-Rome: Europe and the Arabs

A Spanish police spokesperson told Reuters that migrants were "flowing in from the sea" across the breakwater. Many had crossed the border from the Moroccan side using inflatable rafts and other inflatable materials. Police at the breakwater were unable to control the influx of migrants. The bodies of at least 18 migrants were recovered from the water.

According to the Spanish public broadcaster TVE, between 2,000 and 3,000 young people reportedly crossed the border on Thursday afternoon. Other media outlets, such as the newspaper El Mundo, put the number as high as 20,000.

On the Moroccan side, a long queue stretched for kilometers. According to eyewitnesses, Moroccan police were struggling to control the situation. The regional government of Ceuta described the situation as a humanitarian emergency. Reception centers were severely overcrowded and could barely accommodate any more migrants. Juan Jesús Vivas, the mayor of Ceuta, called on the Spanish government to declare a state of emergency. He told the media, "The reception centers are overcrowded, and there is no room to receive any more migrants." Meanwhile, Madrid promised to send 60 soldiers to assist the local police. The European Union indicated its willingness to provide further support, including through the Frontex border protection agency.

Ceuta and Melilla are Spanish enclaves located within Morocco on the coast, but are under Spanish sovereignty, according to the Belgian newspaper Newsblad. This massive influx raises questions about Morocco's role. According to Spanish media, Moroccan security forces initially took little action to prevent the crossings. At the same time, Moroccan authorities agreed with Spain to expedite the return of those who entered Ceuta illegally.

Earlier this month, the Spanish Supreme Court ruled that migrants intercepted at sea while en route to Ceuta and Melilla cannot be returned directly under the special border policy applied to the two enclaves. A Civil Guard spokesman told Reuters: "Since then, it has been happening gradually, but today it exploded."

The Spanish government has deployed additional Civil Guard troops and personnel to Ceuta. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez confirmed that all available resources would be deployed to control the situation. The European Commission and EU Commissioner for Migration Magnus Brunner offered further support, including through the border agency Frontex.

Italy reacted strongly. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani suggested suspending Spain's membership in the Schengen Area due to the uncontrolled influx of migrants. His Spanish counterpart, Álvarez, called the remarks inappropriate and labeled them partisan political populism. Madrid subsequently summoned the Italian ambassador.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani proposes suspending Spain's membership in the Schengen Area. He wrote on the website X: "I support closing the Schengen Area with Spain." He condemned "irregular and uncontrolled migration," a message echoed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the same website. Spanish Foreign Minister José Luis Álvarez described the letter as "inappropriate" from a partner country from which Spain expects European solidarity, not partisan political populism. Madrid subsequently summoned the Italian ambassador. Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez is visiting Ceuta today, accompanied by Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska.

According to media reports, the sudden influx of thousands of undocumented migrants from Morocco to the Spanish city of Ceuta has triggered an unexpected diplomatic confrontation between Madrid and Rome. Statements by Italian officials calling for the suspension of the Schengen Agreement with Spain sparked a diplomatic crisis, prompting the Spanish government to summon the Italian ambassador and lodge a formal protest.

These developments are reminiscent of the 2021 crisis, when Ceuta witnessed its largest mass crossing of migrants, as Spanish authorities scrambled to contain the situation both on the ground and politically, amid European and international warnings about the crisis's repercussions. According to the Brussels-based European news network Euronews, under the headline "Rome Threatens to Suspend Schengen," amid the escalating migration crisis, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced that her country is following with "great concern" what she described as "horrific images" coming from Ceuta. She confirmed via her social media accounts that the Italian government is prepared to take exceptional measures if necessary, including suspending the Schengen Area with Spain, considering uncontrolled irregular migration a direct threat to European border security.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani echoed this sentiment, confirming in a post on the X platform his support for closing the Schengen Area to Spain. He argued that the policies of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's government, particularly the decision to grant Spanish citizenship to more than half a million undocumented migrants, have, in his view, fueled irregular migration and human trafficking networks. Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini also joined these calls, stating that suspending the Schengen Agreement with Spain had become "a duty," and sharply criticizing the Spanish government's handling of the migration crisis.

Madrid responds by summoning the Italian ambassador. The Spanish response was swift and firm, as Foreign Minister José Manuel Álvarez announced the summoning of the Italian ambassador in Madrid in protest, making them one of the most sensitive points in the immigration issue within the European Union.