Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska confirmed that 70,000 of the 72,000 migrants who arrived in Ceuta have already returned to Morocco.
Grande-Marlaska stated that his meeting with colleagues from the European Union, who proposed introducing restrictions in the Schengen Zone due to the migration crisis in Ceuta, went “satisfactorily” for Spain. He explained that the autonomous city of Ceuta has had a “special regime” since 1991 that requires proper document checks for anyone leaving the city.
The minister also reported that the meeting was held via video conference. European partners acknowledged the government’s response to this “unprecedented humanitarian crisis” as “effective” and “immediate”.
Reaction to the crisis and the Schengen Zone
Approximately 72,000 people entered the city by bypassing the breakwater at El Tarajal. According to updated data from Grande-Marlaska, 70,000 of them have already returned to Morocco.
The minister emphasized that the Schengen Zone, which facilitates free movement among EU countries, “was in no way under threat”. He noted that the migrants did not have the opportunity to reach other EU countries or mainland Spain. For instance, all passengers traveling from the autonomous city to Algeciras, including EU citizens, must undergo a police document check.
According to: La Vanguardia
