Four EU Countries Refuse to Sign Letter Criticizing Spain Over Ceuta Crisis – Reports
Guardia Civil officers recover the body of a migrant from the water in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Ireland, France, Portugal and Luxembourg did not sign a letter criticizing Spain over the influx of tens of thousands of illegal migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on the northern coast of Africa, the Politico news outlet reported on Tuesday. Leaders of 22 EU countries sent a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, calling on Madrid to step up controls at the European Union’s external border and demanding a pan-European mechanism to counter regularization schemes for illegal migrants, similar to the one implemented by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. An unnamed diplomat told the outlet that one of the countries had objected to the letter because it did not demonstrate solidarity with Spain.
In late July, the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta experienced a massive influx of migrants from neighboring Morocco. Spain deployed additional police, the Civil Guard and troops to the area in an effort to deter illegal crossings. Ceuta's mayor-president, Juan Jesus Vivas, said about 60,000 people had entered Ceuta in a single day.
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