Spain and Italy row over border controls following Morocco migrant influx
Spain has threatened to retaliate against Italy after Rome imposed border controls on Spanish visitors via air and sea following last week's influx of migrants into the North African enclave of Ceuta.
Spain has announced it will introduce temporary border checks on travelers from Italy due to Italy's imposition of similar measures following a mass migrant rush into Ceuta. The checks will begin at midnight on Saturday and continue until September 7, according to Spain's interior ministry. This decision comes after Spain threatened Italy with countermeasures if it did not lift its border checks, a rare conflict between EU and NATO allies.
The situation arose after tens of thousands of people crossed from Morocco to Ceuta in a deadly, unprecedented rush on July 30-31. Italy's hard-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has stated that Italy has no intention of revising its decision before August 15, when Spanish authorities expect a new wave of migration. Spain's interior ministry announced the reciprocal measures within hours of receiving the threat, and police have been monitoring online rumors about possible future arrivals.
While Spain and Italy are both members of the EU, the border checks are an extraordinary measure intended to safeguard national security and prevent potential repercussions for Spain.
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