Italy closed borders with Spain and suspended Schengen
Italy officially suspended the Schengen Agreement with respect to Spain, completely closing air and sea borders between the countries.
The corresponding decision was made at an emergency meeting at the Italian Ministry of Internal Affairs following harsh statements by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The reason for the radical measures was the unprecedented migration crisis in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa, where tens of thousands of illegal migrants broke through from Morocco. The Italian authorities stated that the uncontrolled influx of refugees poses a direct threat to national security. Rome's position has already been supported by Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, the Czech Republic, and Sweden, while France has also tightened control on the border with Spain. Official Madrid reacted sharply to this step, calling Rome's decision unfounded, and summoned the Italian ambassador for explanations.
