Italy Extends Schengen Suspension with Spain Ahead of Talks

Elconstitucional

Italian and Spanish Prime Ministers, Giorgia Meloni and Pedro Sánchez.

Italy has extended by another week its suspension of the European Union's border-free travel arrangements with ‌Spain over a surge in migrant arrivals in Ceuta in late July, an Italian government source said on Friday.

A Spanish government spokesperson said, according to Reuters, the interior ministers of both countries would work over the coming week on lifting the border controls.

Italy’s latest extension follows a similar move by Madrid, which recently prolonged its suspension of Schengen border rules with Rome until 22 October.

Italy first suspended Schengen arrangements with Spain on 31 July, following the arrival of more than 72,000 migrants in Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta from neighbouring Morocco. Rome has since repeatedly extended the measure.

The Italian government has argued that the presence of thousands of undocumented migrants in the Spanish territory poses significant internal security risks and could create opportunities for terrorist infiltration.

Madrid has described Italy’s actions as “unjust, contrary to European Union interests, and discriminatory towards the population of Spain”.



PUKMEDIA