Spain imposes border checks on Italy as migrant showdown grows
The move retaliates against Rome's border controls imposed after tens of thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into Spanish territory.
Spain has imposed temporary border checks on travelers from Italy in response to Rome's decision to introduce similar measures following a mass migrant rush into Ceuta. The checks, set to commence at midnight on Saturday and last until September 7, come amid persistent irregular migration pressure in Italy. Spain's foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albares, termed Italy's border checks as "a torpedo fired at the hull of European unity," expressing his hope for Rome to lift the measures and treat Spaniards like other European citizens.
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, however, has no intention of revising the decision before August 15, stating that Spain's authorities expect a new wave of migration to hit Ceuta. The rare spat between the EU and NATO allies stems from the recent influx of tens of thousands of people crossing from Morocco to Spain's North African territory, causing outrage among EU members that advocate a hard line on irregular immigration, including Italy.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written; read the original for the full account.
