Italy has temporarily suspended its free-travel pact with Spain, a move Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described as an "extraordinary measure" taken to safeguard national security. The decision follows a surge of approximately 60,000 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa who entered the Spanish city of Ceuta last week.
Ceuta, one of the European Union's two land borders with Africa, is a Spanish city of about 83,000 people located on the Mediterranean coast, surrounded by Morocco. The influx of migrants, many of whom attempted to breach fences and swim into the territory, has raised concerns in Europe about a potential new immigration crisis.
In response to the situation, Spanish authorities installed a 1,600-foot floating barrier to deter migrants attempting to enter by sea. Officials also stated that the majority of migrants who successfully crossed were expelled back to Morocco.
Italy's suspension of its participation in the Schengen Agreement, which facilitates free travel among 29 European countries, is set to last for one month. Meloni indicated that this action aims to prevent migrants from reaching Italy via Spain, linking it to what she described as socialist leader Pedro Sanchez's immigration-friendly policies.
While Italy has taken the most significant action, other European nations have also responded. Finland and Denmark have criticized Spain's border management, and France has increased its border checks at crossings with Spain. The interior ministers from 22 EU countries are scheduled to hold an emergency meeting to discuss border security.
Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez pushed back against the criticism, suggesting it was an unwarranted reaction. He stated that "In the current international context, the European Union cannot afford this kind of selfish, polarizing and unlawful reaction." Reports also indicated that some allies of Sanchez suggested external actors, such as Israel and the Trump administration, might be responsible for the border breach as a response to Spain's stance on Gaza and its refusal to allow the U.S. to use Spanish air bases for operations related to the Iran war.