Italy calls for closing Schengen area to Spain over Ceuta migrant crisis
Italy's foreign minister has called for the suspension of the Schengen free-travel agreement with Spain following a surge of migrants entering the enclave of Ceuta. The move has sparked diplomatic tension between Rome and Madrid as Spain deploys troops to manage the border crisis.
Why it matters
The situation highlights the ongoing political strain within the EU regarding migration policy and border security.
Italy's foreign minister has called for the closure of the Schengen area to Spain after hundreds of migrants crossed into the North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco on Thursday.In a post on X, Antonio Tajani said he was "in favour" of closing the free travel zone with Spain, arguing that "irregular and uncontrolled immigration poses a threat to national security.""The images coming out of Ceuta show that the Madrid government’s decision to grant Spanish – and therefore European – citizenship to over 500,000 irregular migrants is profoundly misguided and encourages human trafficking," he added, apparently referring to the Spanish government's previous move to give legal status to some undocumented migrants.
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