The European Union has praised Spain’s « swift response » to the migrant crisis in Ceuta, following a meeting of the bloc’s interior ministers on Tuesday.

Around 72,000 migrants crossed into the Spanish territory in North Africa between 30 and 31 July, Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said. He added that an estimated 70,000 have since been returned to Morocco.

At least 75 people died on the Spanish side of the border, while 11 deaths were reported in Morocco.

Tuesday’s meeting was called after several EU members expressed concern over Spain’s handling of the crisis, with Italy describing images from Ceuta as « shocking » and suspending its Schengen agreement with Spain.

Irish Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan, who chaired Tuesday’s meeting, said the EU stood in solidarity with Spain and that migration required « a united European response ».

The meeting had been expected to draw some tension, following earlier criticism of Spain from some EU nations.

On Thursday, Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said such « uncontrolled immigration » was a security threat to Europe.

Italy suspended its Schengen zone agreement with Spain on free movement on Friday, but since the two countries do not share a land border, this would only apply, effectively, to flights – which appears simply to mean extra checks for passengers.

The Schengen agreement eliminates border checks and now encompasses more than 450 million people and 29 countries in Europe.

Finland and Denmark backed Italy’s move, while Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš urged a temporary suspension of Spain’s Schengen membership.

Italy, along with Denmark and 20 other nations, later sent a letter expressing their concern over the Ceuta migrant crisis.

In response, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said he had « serious concerns » about some European governments and pointed out that Ceuta was not part of the Schengen area.

While most had shown « support and solidarity », he said other European governments had chosen to attack Spain, « driven by prejudice, fake news, ignorance, or political interest ».

Speaking after the meeting on Tuesday, Grande-Marlaska said the Schengen zone had not been compromised and that he hoped Italy would lift any added controls « as soon as possible ».

Denmark’s immigration minister Morten Bødskov said he was « very satisfied » with Spain’s quick response, but added that the incident showed « it is absolutely crucial that we have control over the EU’s borders ».

Speaking afterwards, EU commissioner Magnus Brunner said the incident had been a « test » of European resilience and border security – which he said it had successfully « passed ».

Brunner added that the EU had offered Spain emergency financial support to strengthen its borders and manage the crisis.

It is unknown exactly what led the tens of thousands of migrants to cross from Morocco into Ceuta in a span of just a few hours last week.

Brunner said it is thought that the influx was fuelled by criminal networks and social media disinformation.

The crossings came after Spain’s Supreme Court ruled that migrants stopped at sea while trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla, another Spanish exclave, cannot be summarily returned to Morocco.

Moroccan authorities later said that it had warned Spain the ruling would cause « a problem », but Spain rejected this claim, with a government spokeswoman saying it had no evidence or intelligence « that alerted us to the magnitude of this unprecedented event ».

Spain’s interior minister said he was working « firmly » with Morocco to avoid further « violations » of Spain’s borders and added that any migrants still in Ceuta would be returned to Morocco as soon as possible.

Images from inside Ceuta on Tuesday showed crowds of migrants gathering near the beach to receive food, water and other aid. Some held makeshift banners with the word ‘asylum’ written on them.

Several people were also pictured sleeping on the beach and on streets across the city.

Concerns have been raised over the treatment of the remaining migrants, in particular of unaccompanied minors, with local media reporting some 800 children being held in facilities across the city.

Grande-Marlaska said the rights of all migrants, especially those underage, were being respected during the crisis, with Spain’s government allocating around 25m euros (£21.4m; $28.8m) to assist minors in Ceuta.

World Opinion + Agencies

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The Finnish government officially announced its intention to join NATO on Sunday, as Sweden’s ruling party was to hold a decisive meeting that could pave the way for a joint application.

Less than three months after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, the move is a stunning reversal of Finland’s policy on military non-alignment dating back more than 75 years.

Sweden, which has been militarily non-aligned for more than two centuries, is expected to follow suit with a similar announcement, possibly on Monday.

« Today, the President of the Republic and the Government’s Foreign Policy Committee have jointly agreed that Finland will apply for NATO membership, after consulting parliament, » Finnish President Sauli Niinisto told reporters at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Sanna Marin on Sunday.

« This is a historic day. A new era is opening », Niinisto said.

Despite last-minute objections by Turkey, NATO members are on « good track » in their discussions on welcoming Sweden and Finland into the Western military alliance, Croatia’s foreign minister, Gordan Grlic Radman, said as he arrived for talks with NATO counterparts in Berlin.

Finland’s parliament will convene to debate the membership proposal on Monday.

« We hope the parliament will confirm the decision to apply for NATO membership during the coming days. It will be based on a strong mandate », premier Marin said.

An overwhelming majority of Finnish MPs back the decision after Marin’s Social Democratic Party on Saturday said it was in favour of joining.

« Hopefully, we can send our applications next week together with Sweden, » Marin had said on Saturday.

The two Nordic countries broke their strict neutralities after the end of the Cold War by joining the EU and becoming partners to NATO in the 1990s, solidifying their affiliation with the West.

But the concept of full NATO membership was a non-starter in the countries until the war in Ukraine saw public and political support for joining the alliance soar.

Finland, which shares a 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) border with Russia, has been leading the charge, while Sweden appears anxious at being the only non-NATO country around the Baltic Sea.

Finland is also Sweden’s closest defence cooperation partner.

Many Swedish politicians have said their support is conditional on Finland joining.

On Saturday, the Finnish head of state phoned his Russian counterpart President Vladimir Putin to inform him of his country’s desire to join NATO, in a conversation described as « direct and straightforward ».

« Avoiding tensions was considered important, » Niinisto said in a statement after the call.

But Putin responded by warning that joining NATO « would be a mistake since there is no threat to Finland’s security », according to a Kremlin statement.

Moscow has repeatedly warned both countries of consequences if they join NATO.

Niinisto said Sunday that while Helsinki expects Russia to respond to its decision, « little by little, I’m beginning to think that we’re not going to face actual military operations. »

« After the phone call with Putin, I think so even more. »

No other choice

According to recent polls, the number of Finns who want to join the alliance has risen to over three-quarters, almost triple the level seen before the war in Ukraine.

In Sweden, support has also risen dramatically, to around 50 percent — with about 20 percent against.

Sweden’s Social Democrats, led by Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, were meeting Sunday to decide whether the party should abandon its historic stance against joining, last reaffirmed at the party’s annual congress in November.

A green light from the party would secure a firm parliamentary majority in favour of joining.

While the party’s leading politicians have seemed ready to reverse the decision, critical voices within have denounced the change in policy as rushed.

But analysts say it is unlikely that the party will oppose the move.

NATO membership needs to be approved and ratified by all 30 members of the alliance.

While Finland and Sweden claim to have received favourable signals from Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday expressed hostility to the idea.

Turkey’s objections, directed in particular at Stockholm, focus on what it considers to be the countries’ leniency towards the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is on the EU’s list of terrorist organisations.

Niinisto said Sunday he was « prepared to have a new discussion with President Erdogan about the problems he has raised ».

At NATO’s meeting in Berlin, Slovakia’s Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok said he was « absolutely certain that we will find a solution », while Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said « the signs don’t look bad » for Sweden and Finland.

World Opinions+ Agencies

L’article Finland announces ‘historic’ NATO bid, Sweden expected to follow suit est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.