Source: Africa Publicity
Italy has temporarily suspended the Schengen free-movement arrangement with Spain following a major influx of migrants from Morocco into Ceuta, the Spanish autonomous city located in North Africa.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the decision was temporary and intended to protect national and European security, saying it was aimed at “safeguarding the security of our citizens and defend the European borders”.
The announcement came on Friday, shortly after Spanish authorities reported that more than 48,000 migrants had been sent back to Morocco following the mass crossings.
The Schengen agreement allows participating European countries to operate without routine internal border controls. It enables citizens of member states to travel freely between participating countries without passport checks, while foreign nationals with valid Schengen visas can generally move across the participating European states.
Despite Italy and Spain having no common land border, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Rome could not ignore what she described as potential security risks arising from the situation.
Meloni, who has consistently advocated tougher measures on migration, has frequently linked irregular migration to security and economic concerns in Italy.
Explaining the decision, Meloni said: “The Government has decided to temporarily suspend the free movement regime provided for by Schengen in maritime and air connections with Spain, reintroducing border controls.”
She added: “This is an extraordinary measure, adopted to safeguard national security and prevent possible repercussions for our Nation.
“The measure will be kept in force only for the time necessary, with particular attention to limiting any impact on summer tourist flows.”
The move has drawn criticism from Spain, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez questioning Italy’s decision to restore border controls.
Responding to the suspension, Sanchez said: “Solidarity and empathy are optional. Respect for European treaties and data is not,” while presenting figures on irregular migration recorded between 2021 and 2026.
The data he cited showed Italy had recorded the largest number of irregular entries into Spain during that period, with 478,600 cases.
Sanchez urged European countries to avoid allowing the migration crisis to deepen divisions within the bloc.
“This is not the time to divide. It is the time to continue building a strong and united EU,” the Spanish prime minister said.
Several other European Union officials have also expressed criticism of Meloni’s decision to temporarily suspend the Schengen arrangement with Spain.
The developments come as France and Germany signal that they too could introduce stricter border controls in response to the large-scale migration crossings into Ceuta.
