Tensions over Migrants Deepen Italy-Spain Rift as Madrid Reinstates Border Controls

Relations between Spain and Italy have become further strained over the management of migrant flows after Madrid decided to check travelers arriving from Italy by air and sea.

The checks began at midnight and will remain in place for one month, until September 7. Passengers arriving from Italy will have their passports, nationality and visas verified.

Madrid’s measure follows a decision taken by Italy one week earlier to check people arriving from Spain. Rome took this step after the exceptional influx of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.

Italian authorities have announced that the checks will continue at least until August 15. According to Rome, some of the migrants may attempt to travel to Italy, a claim Madrid has dismissed as unsupported by facts.

Italy has also rejected Spain’s request to cancel the measures. The Italian government has stressed that it does not accept “ultimatums” and that the checks will remain in force for as long as security concerns persist.

The crisis has pitted Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez against Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, marking another dispute within the European Union over migration policies.

The main cause of the disagreement is the situation in Ceuta. Last week, tens of thousands of migrants attempted to enter the enclave from Morocco. Most were turned back in the days that followed, while around 100 people are reported to have died during the attempt to cross.

About 1,400 minors remain in Ceuta, including very young children.

At the same time, Spanish authorities are monitoring calls posted on social media for another mass crossing attempt in mid-August. Spain has not said that it expects a new wave of migration, while Prime Minister Sanchez’s office has stated that developments are being closely monitored and that the scenes of last week are not expected to be repeated.

The latest developments have once again drawn attention to disputes surrounding Ceuta and Melilla. The two Spanish enclaves in North Africa have been a source of diplomatic tensions between Madrid and Rabat for years.