There is no evidence that Morocco bears any responsibility for the migrant surge in Ceuta in late July that led to close to 75,000 migrants crossing the border into the Spanish enclave.
So says Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez, who was on the receiving end of vitriol from other EU leaders, notably Italy and the Netherlands. Both Rome and The Hague complained that his government had undermined the integrity of the EU’s passport-free Schengen travel area.
“There’s no information from any intelligence agency that raises doubts over the involvement of Moroccan authorities,” he told Spanish radio on Monday (31 August).
“Cooperation with Morocco is frankly positive,” added Sánchez, continuing that “this crisis can be resolved only through cooperation – and not through a lack of trust in Morocco, which would only further aggravate the already complex situation we have in Ceuta.”
Instead, the Spanish PM says claims of Moroccan complicity are the result of disinformation spread by Russia and Israel.
