The European Union has called on Spain to accept being placed under special measures in a bid to end an internal row over the Ceuta migrant crisis.
Almost 60,000 illegal migrants flooded into Spain’s African enclave last week, as France and Italy piled pressure on the Brussels bloc to impose stricter migration checks.
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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has been urged to reveal the number of migrants shipped back to Morocco after the enclave’s borders were overwhelmed last week.
At least 88 are confirmed to have died – either by drowning or being crushed in the crowd – in what is being described as a “mass invasion”.
Miguel Ángel Pérez, the Spanish Government’s delegate in Ceuta, shared that 2,500 were estimated to have remained in Ceuta.
Meanwhile, Juan Jesús Vivas, the enclave’s most senior official, said the figure was much higher and could be up to 5,000.
It is rare for the Brussels bloc to ask a country to prove its claims by demanding verified figures.
One of the EU’s diplomats said the Spanish envoy appeared “bitter” when presenting the latest update on the migrant crisis.
“Member states asked for the situation to be monitored and verification of the numbers of returns shared by Spain, as well as lessons learned to prevent a repeat,” the insider told The Telegraph.
In correspondence, Ursula von der Leyen heaped praise onto the Prime Minister’s “swift handling” of the shock event.
She wrote: “This determined action is indicative of the commitment to enforce the system in place and has been crucial in preventing further deterioration, and the tragic and unnecessary loss of even more lives.
“I also welcome the further deterrent action your Government has taken to prevent further illegal arrivals, such as reinforced surveillance of the maritime border.”
THE CEUTA MIGRANT CRISIS – READ MORE:
Andy Burnham’s plan isn’t working. Ceuta proves the invasion is coming to a beach near you – Carole Malone- Spain’s PM blasted for jetting off on holiday despite thousands of migrants REFUSING to leave Ceuta
- Spain installs floating barrier in Ceuta to keep Africans out amid migrant ‘invasion’
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