Spain angered by selfish European states

Spain has condemned the reaction of several European Union countries to the arrival of approximately 60,000 migrants from Morocco into Ceuta, the Spanish enclave bordering the Strait of Gibraltar. Spanish officials reported that nearly all migrants who arrived on July 30 have since returned to Morocco, and the death toll has climbed to at least 67, according to Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, as cited by the BBC.

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The European Union cannot afford such a selfish, polarizing, and illegal reaction.

In response to the influx, Spain began deploying an inflatable maritime barrier to deter further illegal entries. This action followed Italy's temporary suspension of the EU's Schengen Agreement, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni describing the scenes as 'shocking.' Finland and Denmark supported Italy's move, while Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš called for Spain's temporary suspension from the Schengen zone.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez conveyed his 'serious concerns' regarding the actions of certain European governments in a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Sánchez stated that the Spanish government had fully restored border control within 48 hours, preventing any unauthorized movement towards mainland Europe. 'The European Union cannot afford such a selfish, polarizing, and illegal reaction,' Sánchez declared.

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The good news is that the vast majority of those who entered illegally have returned to Morocco, thanks to the effective work of the Spanish and Moroccan law enforcement agencies. Not a single person reached mainland Spain or the rest of the EU. This shows why control over our European borders is important. We have a strong system in place. But it needs to be further strengthened.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged the calls for a meeting to 'take stock of events' in Ceuta but emphasized that the EU had offered assistance to Spain from the outset. This was in response to Sánchez's criticism that Europe provided 'too little support' during the border crisis. Von der Leyen noted that the return of most migrants to Morocco demonstrated the importance of border control and the need to strengthen the EU's system.

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such 'uncontrolled immigration' threatens national security