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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Italy is prepared to take extraordinary measures, including suspending the Schengen Agreement with Spain, following a surge in migrants reaching Ceuta. Spain rejected the remarks, calling them inappropriate, as tensions over migration escalated.

Rome: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced that Rome was ready to take “extraordinary measures” to defend Italy’s borders and the safety of citizens, including through the suspension of the Schengen area with Spain.

In a statement shared on X, Meloni stressed that the images coming from Ceuta are “striking” and once again demonstrate that uncontrolled illegal immigration poses a threat to the security of Europe’s borders.

“The images coming from Ceuta are striking and demonstrate, once again, that uncontrolled illegal immigration poses a concrete threat to the security of Europe’s borders. I have spoken with Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi. Italy will not stand by and watch,” Meloni posted on X.

“We are convening the relevant bodies, and following these meetings, we are prepared to intervene with extraordinary measures to defend the borders and the safety of citizens, including the suspension of the Schengen Area with Spain. On illegal immigration, we will not yield an inch: defending the borders, stopping human traffickers, and ensuring effective repatriations will continue to be the line of this Government,” she added.

Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani also made a similar call. In a statement, Tajani termed the Spanish government’s decision to grant Spanish and European citizenship to more than 500,000 irregular immigrants “profoundly wrong” and expressed his support for closing the Schengen Area to Spain.

“I am in favor of closing the Schengen Area to Spain and have full confidence in Minister Piantedosi’s actions. Irregular and uncontrolled immigration poses a danger to national security. The images coming from Ceuta show how the Madrid Government’s decision to grant Spanish, and therefore European, citizenship to over 500,000 irregular immigrants is profoundly wrong and encourages human trafficking,” Tajani posted on X.

Italian leadership’s statement came as hundreds of people travelled from Morocco to Ceuta by swimming or using inflatable devices to reach Tarajal beach on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares described Tajani’s statement as “unbecoming” and announced that he has summoned Italy’s ambassador.

In response to Tajani’s post on X, Albares stated, “This message is unbecoming of the Foreign Minister of a partner and friendly country from which we expect European solidarity and not partisan demagoguery. Today’s events are to a court ruling, having nothing to do with what the tweet says. I have summoned the Italian Ambassador tomorrow.”

After many migrants reached Ceuta by swimming, Spain on Thursday announced that it would dispatch additional army in Ceuta to reinforce security, Euro News reported. As many as nine people reportedly died while trying to reach Ceuta. Spain’s decision comes after Ceuta’s regional president urged Madrid to announce a national emergency and take control of the situation in the autonomous city, stating that local authorities were overwhelmed by an increase in illegal crossings.