Spain restores border controls on travelers arriving from Italy
Spain has restored temporary border controls on travelers arriving from Italy after Rome refused to lift restrictions imposed on passengers coming from Spain amid the migration crisis in Ceuta.
The Spanish government introduced the measures at midnight on Saturday. They are scheduled to remain in force until September 7, although Madrid said the deadline could change depending on developments.
Spain’s Interior Ministry said officers would conduct checks on passengers arriving on flights and ships with direct connections to Italy. The controls will not necessarily cover every passenger or every service. Border officers will decide whether to inspect an entire flight or selected travelers based on available information.
Checks at Barcelona’s El Prat Airport on Saturday were conducted randomly and focused mainly on travelers from outside the European Union, according to El Pais. EU citizens were generally exempt from inspections to limit delays. Officers checked passports, visas and residence permits when required.
Madrid responds to Rome
Spain introduced the measures after Italy declined a Spanish request to end border checks imposed on travelers arriving from Spain on August 1.
Rome introduced the restrictions after the mass arrival of migrants in Ceuta from Morocco. Madrid had asked the Italian government to remove the controls and warned that it would respond with proportional measures if they remained in place.
Italy rejected the request, prompting Spain to introduce similar restrictions on travelers arriving from Italy. The move has increased diplomatic tensions between the two countries as both governments face pressure over migration policy.
Italian opposition parties have also criticized Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government over its decision to maintain the restrictions. They have described the dispute as a diplomatic crisis between Rome and Madrid.
The situation remains closely linked to developments in Ceuta. More than 1,300 minors were still in the Spanish enclave nine days after around 72,000 people arrived from Morocco, according to the Spanish report. Authorities were working to arrange accommodation before transferring the minors to other Spanish regions.
The migration crisis has also resulted in deaths at sea. Ceuta’s Institute of Legal Medicine completed autopsies on 82 people whose bodies were recovered after attempts to reach Spain by sea. The report said all but one of the identified victims were men. Moroccan authorities put the death toll at 14 people.
