Beginning July 31, Italy has decided to temporarily suspend the EU Schengen Agreement on free movement with Spain for one month and close sea and air routes between the two countries over possible insecurity caused by the Ceuta migration crisis.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the measure was necessary to safeguard national security while pledging to minimise its impact on the summer tourism season. Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, the Czech Republic and Sweden have all expressed support for Italy's firm stance.
In the latest development, Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said on Saturday that almost all of the migrants have already left Ceuta, and businesses had now reopened.
Earlier, Ceuta regional leader Juan Jesús Vivas said around 60,000 migrants had entered the territory from Morocco within just a few days, but by the evening of July 31, more than 48,000 had already returned.
Many migrants had previously swum around the end of the border fence extending into the Mediterranean Sea to reach Ceuta. At least 67 people were killed during the mass crossing. Spain has installed a 500-metre containment barrier on the sea border between its North African territory of Ceuta and Morocco.
The reason of the mass migrant into Ceutra crossings remains unclear. The Moroccan authorities have yet to issue an official statement.
