Morocco warned Spain about migration ruling impact, official says
A senior Moroccan official stated that Morocco had previously cautioned Spain regarding a Spanish Supreme Court ruling on July 8, which stipulated that migrants arriving by sea should not be immediately returned. The official, speaking anonymously, said Morocco engaged with Spain around July 22-23, explaining that the ruling would create a problem. This warning came before at least 50,000 people, mostly Moroccans, entered the Spanish exclave of Ceuta last week. The official denied that the influx into Ceuta represented a failure of Morocco's security, arguing that the large numbers and strong "pull effect" made it impossible for Moroccan law enforcement to stop everyone. He also emphasized that managing migration is not solely Morocco's responsibility, noting the kingdom spends approximately 500 million euros annually on migration management. Despite the challenges, the official affirmed that Rabat and Madrid continue to work in "perfect coordination" as "reliable partners" on migration issues. He concluded that Spain must now address the challenges posed by its own court ruling, while Morocco remains committed to accepting the return of those who cross and implementing preventive measures to reduce departures.
