Spanish goverment faces legal threats over Ceuta inaction
The Spanish government has been ordered to resolve the migrant crisis in Ceuta within 30 days, or face legal action, according to the Emirati-friendly outlet The National on August 17th.
Juan Jesus Viva, the mayor-president of Ceuta, intensified his calls for action on the 17th after hundreds of migrants in Ceuta staged a protest on the beach, demanding that Spanish authorities grant them asylum rather than deporting them to Morocco.
According to Democrata, the 30-day political deadline is for the central Government to take the necessary measures and allow the city to return to normal, as a wave of new attempts continued.
Ceuta’s leader has asked for a clear plan with specific resources and a timeline, arguing that the situation has become “unsustainable” and poses “maximum risk” to social coexistence and public safety, and disrupts public services.
Viva further criticised the government for “almost total inaction” during the crisis and stated he would bring the matter before Spanish courts.
“My intention is to explain the situation to the president of the Supreme Tribunal and the president of the Constitutional Court, if they will accept me. Judicial powers are the cornerstone of the state. Ceuta is living in exceptional times,” he further noted at an extraordinary meeting of the governing council.
The ultimatum intensifies the mounting pressure on Pedro Sánchez’s government, which is already facing criticism from the broader EU and restrictions on Schengen Area agreements from countries like Italy.
The National reports that an estimated 5,000 to 8,000 migrants are still in the North African enclave after a mass border crossing in late July.
Hundreds of these migrants staged a protest on a central beach on 16th of August, urging Spanish authorities to grant them asylum instead of returning them to Morocco.
The protesters waved Spanish flags and banners bearing messages such as “We don’t want to go back to Morocco” and “We are also human,” while chanting slogans including “We’re tired” and “We need a solution.”
While Sanchez has not responded directly, ARA reported on the 17th that Elma Saiz, Spain’s Minister for Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, said that “[The Spanish government] has not stopped working for a single moment to help Ceuta.”
Sanchez also chaired a video conference on the 17th to address the Ceuta crisis, including cooperation with Ceuta’s authorities and measures on security and the population’s welfare. According to Democrata, this is the second meeting Sanchez has attended on the crisis, with the earlier one occurring on August 7th.
On August 18th, El País reported that La Moncloa began addressing these concerns by providing four additional spaces, offering approximately 1,500 places for migrants, with the potential for further expansion in the coming days.
During the mass border crossing two weeks ago, Reuters reported that over 70,000 people entered the territory, which has a population of roughly 80,000. Most of these individuals either returned voluntarily or were deported in the days that followed.
Spain remains under significant political pressure both domestically and internationally as the government struggles to regain control of the situation. Mounting concerns over the government’s handling of the crisis have intensified pressure on Sánchez, with opposition parties seeking to capitalise on growing public unease as accusations of inadequate border and national security measures rise.
The National, El País, Democrata, Reuters, ARA, Maghrebi.org
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