Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has called on Spain to regain control of its border at Ceuta, warning that Stockholm is prepared to take measures of its own if the crisis in the North African enclave spreads.
In a message posted on social media on July 31, Kristersson said it was important that Spain acted promptly to restore control and to meet its obligations under Schengen cooperation.
He said the Swedish Government was ready to take whatever steps were needed to safeguard order and control should the situation come to affect Sweden’s security or its migration position.
Kristersson drew a direct comparison with the 2015 refugee crisis, warning Spain’s Socialist Government against repeating the error he attributed to Sweden’s Social Democrats that year, when a refusal to admit people was not enforced as one.
He added that Migration Minister Johan Forssell had been in contact with his Nordic counterparts and did not rule out action to prevent a repeat of 2015.
Spain’s interior ministry estimated that some 49,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta from Morocco by sea and land in the 24 hours to July 31, an influx without precedent at the enclave. At least 18 people died in the attempt, according to the ministry.
Rachid Sbihi, who heads an association representing Civil Guard officers in the city, described the situation as a “serious humanitarian crisis”, telling AP that thousands of people, including unaccompanied minors, had been left sleeping in parks and on pavements.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez travelled to Ceuta on July 31 with Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska. He called the mass entry a violation of Spain’s territorial integrity, blamed trafficking networks and promised urgent returns to Morocco.
Sweden’s intervention follows Italy’s threat to suspend the Schengen agreement with Spain, which Madrid answered by summoning the Italian ambassador.
Finnish Interior Minister Mari Rantanen and Finance Minister Riikka Purra have since backed excluding Spain from the passport-free area, according to Efe. The Dutch Government has said it expects Spain to do what is needed to protect the EU external border.
France has ordered tighter checks on its Spanish frontier and mobilised its rapid border intervention units.
Ceuta and Melilla form the European Union’s only land borders with Africa. Ceuta’s regional government declared a humanitarian and social emergency on July 30 and has linked the surge to a Spanish Supreme Court ruling of July 8 barring the summary return of migrants intercepted at sea.
