EU Calls for Coordinated Response to Ceuta Migrant Crisis, Spain Accuses Allies

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, the European Union on Saturday issued a statement addressing the crisis in Ceuta. The EU expressed its welcome for the cooperation between Spain and Morocco in ensuring the swift return of migrants who entered the Spanish enclave illegally, stating that the events of recent days in Ceuta necessitate an immediate and coordinated response from Europe.

This statement comes as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had hours earlier accused several European governments of reacting to the migration crisis in Ceuta with prejudice, misinformation, ignorance, or political self-interest, labeling their approaches as selfish, divisive, and unlawful. Sánchez sent a letter to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Charles Michel, President of the European Council, and Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council, urging the Union to convene an emergency meeting of EU ministers to coordinate a joint response.

According to Spain’s Ministry of the Interior, at least 67 individuals have lost their lives attempting to reach Spain during this crisis. Approximately 70,000 migrants who entered Ceuta from Morocco have reportedly been returned.