CEUTA – Spain has returned 7,500 of the 8,000 migrants to Morocco. Although help was offered from European authorities, Spain prefers to solve the crisis together. However, Morocco seems to want to take the fight a little harder.
Almost all migrants, who illegally crossed the border between Morocco and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta last week, have been sent back to Morocco. However, although these migrants have been returned, the crisis is far from over. Things remain unsettled along the border at Ceuta and Melilla as dozens of Moroccans still want to reach Spain.
Spain rejects EU agency aid
The Spanish police have been stepping up border controls since last week. The European Union is urging Spain to rely on the European border agency Frontex to protect the border. However, the Spanish Ministry of the Interior rejects this aid.
For years there have been tensions between Spanish national police forces and – according to Spain – the increasingly powerful European agency. Spain said it would prefer to resolve the dispute between the two countries directly. Furthermore, Spain would know how quickly and firmly to act in these kinds of crises, the Spanish newspaper El País wrote on Saturday.
Spain accused of being hostile
Despite the fact that Spain would like to resolve the problem together with Morocco, the situation between the two countries, currently does not seem peaceful. El Periódico wrote on Monday morning that Morocco accuses Spain of a “hostile attitude” and that Spain itself is said to have triggered this crisis. There are other reasons behind this statement made by the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Spain files a case against Polisario leader for war crimes
Morocco and Spain, for example, have been at odds with each other for months about the future of Western Sahara. It was announced last week that Spain’s national court has sued Polisario leader Brahim Ghali on allegations of war crimes. The Western Sahara separatist leader may be sued for being treated for a corona infection in a Spanish hospital.
Morocco refuses contact with Spain
Although Spain wants to solve the crisis together with Morocco, the Spanish newspaper El Mundo wrote on Monday that King Mohamed VI of Morocco has sought support in the United States to assist them.
