Clash over migration, Spain criticizes Italy: It has not managed the crisis properly

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has criticized the way Italy is dealing with the migration crisis, contrasting the situation in Lampedusa with Spain’s management of flows along its borders with North Africa.

During an interview with Spanish public broadcaster TVE, Albares said Italy ranks among the European countries facing the greatest pressure from irregular migrant arrivals, while its authorities, in his view, have been unable to solve the problem.

“Lampedusa is overwhelmed by migrants, and Italy is the European country with the highest number of irregular arrivals. It has not been able to resolve the situation, as Spain has,” the Spanish minister said.

He added that the high flow of migrants to Italy over the years had led Spain, in the spirit of European solidarity, to accept some of them.

Albares also criticized the Italian government, saying that its response to the crisis had not been at the required level and that it “has not risen to the task.”

The minister’s comments came after recent developments in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, where thousands of people attempted to cross the border from Morocco into European territory.

According to Albares, the vast majority of people who entered Ceuta were returned to Morocco within a few hours as a result of cooperation with the Moroccan authorities.

“Morocco cooperated from the very first moments to stem the flow and enable the immediate return of the people who entered the autonomous city,” he said.

Spain is expected to raise the issue of solidarity with all European Union member states during a meeting of EU interior ministers, where the situation that has arisen will be discussed.