Spain introduces border checks on Italian travelers amid migrant dispute
Spain announced a month-long series of police checks on Italian visitors in response to Italy's earlier restrictions on Spanish travelers, a move linked to tensions over recent migrant arrivals in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.
Spain began random police checks on Italians arriving at Barcelona airport on Saturday, a measure it said will remain in place for at least a month. The decision follows Italy's introduction of air and sea controls on Spanish citizens earlier this month, which Rome justified as a response to Spain's migration policies.
The dispute originated after an influx of about 72,000 migrants from Morocco arrived in the Spanish North African territory of Ceuta in late July, prompting deaths and a humanitarian crisis. European leaders have criticized Spain's approach, including a recent amnesty program for undocumented residents.
"Italy does not accept ultimatums or impositions from abroad about national security and border control," Italy's prime minister said in a statement.
Spanish authorities warned that the checks would stay until at least August 9 unless Italy lifted its own restrictions. Italy's office indicated the measures would continue until at least August 15 and would be reassessed only if security risks were eliminated and no further migrant waves were expected.
Both countries cite EU rules that permit temporary internal border controls in exceptional circumstances, emphasizing that such measures should be limited in scope and duration.