Italy ready to suspend Schengen with Spain over migrant situation

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she is ready to suspend the Schengen Agreement on free border crossing with Spain because of the influx of illegal migrants into the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta, located on the northern coast of Africa.

"The footage from Ceuta is shocking and once again demonstrates that uncontrolled illegal immigration poses a concrete threat to the security of Europe's borders. We are ready to resort to emergency measures to protect our borders and ensure the safety of our citizens, including such measures as suspending the Schengen zone with Spain," she wrote on her social media.

As Spanish media reported earlier, over the past week more than 1,500 migrants swam to Ceuta from Morocco, while others covered this distance on foot. According to other data, about 20,000 people may have entered the autonomous city. So far, the number of arrivals has not been specified. Amid the crisis, the Spanish authorities decided to deploy the military to help ensure security in the locality. On July 31, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska are expected to visit Ceuta.

Ceuta has the status of an autonomous city of Spain. Due to its geographical location, the migration problem is one of its main issues. To control the flow of refugees from Africa, a high fence with barbed wire has been installed along the border with Morocco. The current Italian government calls the fight against illegal migration its priority.

Source: TASS