Spain’s PM says he received no advance warnings of Ceuta influx as he defends handling of crisis
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has denied accusations that the government ignored warnings about an impending mass border crossing from Morocco to the enclave of Ceuta. In an address to parliament on Thursday, Sánchez said that there had been no “alerts or special notices” prior to July 30-31, when an estimated 60,000 people entered Ceuta. … The post Spain’s PM says he received no advance…
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has denied receiving advance warnings of a mass border crossing from Morocco to the enclave of Ceuta, which occurred between July 30 and 31 when approximately 60,000 people entered the area. Speaking to parliament, Sánchez stated that there were no "alerts or special notices" before the incident.
He assured that none of the messages from the state security apparatus predicted the scale of the influx. Sánchez defended his government's response, promising to publish a dossier of official reports. Although most migrants have since returned to Morocco, the event has become a major political issue domestically and internationally, straining relations with Morocco and within the EU.
Sánchez emphasized the need for a different kind of cooperation with Morocco and requested EU support for border security at Ceuta and Melilla, another Moroccan enclave. The Spanish government also aims to recognize Ceuta and Melilla as outermost regions of the EU, granting special customs union privileges. Despite domestic opposition from far-right groups, Sánchez acknowledged the impossibility of completely securing borders, attributing the issue to global inequality and the search for opportunity.
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