MADRID (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares praised Morocco’s “essential cooperation” in managing the migration events that took place in Ceuta on July 30, highlighting Rabat’s full readiness to facilitate the return of individuals who had entered the city irregularly.
During a visit to Ceuta, where he met with the president of the autonomous city, Juan Jesús Vivas, Albares assured that Spain would ensure that “every single person” who entered irregularly is returned to Morocco. According to Spain’s top diplomat, Rabat demonstrated total willingness from the outset to proceed with immediate returns, without imposing any conditions.
“From the very first moment, Morocco was in favor of immediate returns. It asked for nothing in return,” Albares emphasized, noting that the Moroccan stance stands in stark contrast to the difficulties European countries frequently face when countries of origin fail to cooperate with repatriation procedures.
The Spanish minister also ruled out any Moroccan responsibility for the arrivals recorded in Ceuta, instead stressing the decisive role played by the Kingdom in managing the situation and in the return of the individuals who had managed to reach the city.
Albares attributed a significant portion of the events to misinformation circulating on social media—specifically, a misinterpretation of a recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling regarding individuals reaching Spanish territory by sea. False information reportedly fueled the belief that anyone managing to swim into Ceuta could not be immediately repatriated.
“Those who enter Ceuta or Melilla illegally must know that they will be sent back. No court ruling—distorted as it may be on social media—has changed our position,” Albares reiterated, urging potential migrants not to risk “their lives, their money, and their futures on an adventure doomed to failure.”
Madrid aims to send a deterrent message, particularly in light of a possible new mobilization announced on social media for Saturday, August 15. The minister stated that the Spanish government and the European Commission are working with digital platforms to counter the spread of false content that could encourage further attempts to enter.
For their part, Moroccan authorities indicated that approximately 40,000 people were involved in attempts to cross into Ceuta, while 1,135 tried to reach Melilla. Rabat also reported that everyone who managed to reach Melilla was immediately sent back.
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According to Moroccan authorities, the events stem from a combination of factors: misinformation on social media, the activities of human trafficking networks, and a misinterpretation of recent Spanish judicial rulings.
Finally, Morocco reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining close cooperation with Spain, both to facilitate returns and to prevent similar incidents from occurring again.
– photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
