Migration: After the rush to Ceuta: EU Interior Ministers advise stricter rules - Italy calls for a change of course
Thousands of migrants are still waiting in the enclave. 22 EU countries accuse Spain of having contributed to the crisis with a programme. The government in Madrid is defending itself.
Fifty-five thousand migrants overwhelmed the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on the North African coast five days ago, prompting EU leaders to convene in Brussels to discuss the situation. Following a meeting of EU ambassadors on Monday, EU Interior Ministers plan to hold a video conference on Tuesday to discuss tightening of European migration rules.
Earlier this week, heads of government exchanged strongly worded letters with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. In a joint letter initiated by Italy and Denmark, 22 EU member states expressed serious concern over the situation in Ceuta, including Germany and Austria. France, Portugal, Ireland, and Luxembourg were not included in this letter.
Specifically, these 22 countries mentioned Spain's extensive legalization program, a "pull factor" that sends the wrong signal to migrants. Of the 1.2 million migrants who have applied for legal status in Spain, 68 percent come from Latin America.
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