Spain will not transfer migrants who entered Ceuta during the mass influx to mainland Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Monday, addiing that most are likely to return to Morocco as authorities expand reception capacity in the Spanish enclave.
Sanchez said about 5,000 migrants remain in Ceuta after an estimated 70,000 people entered the city on July 30 and 31. About 90% have since left, he said, including 3,222 who voluntarily returned to Morocco since Aug. 10.
“Most of those who entered did so for economic rather than humanitarian reasons and will very likely return to Morocco within a reasonable period, ” Sanchez said in an interview with Cadena SER.
He ruled out moving some of the remaining migrants to mainland Spain while their cases are processed, saying the government expects to have enough capacity in Ceuta instead.
The government currently has more than 3,300 temporary humanitarian places available and plans to increase that capacity to 6,000 in the coming days.
The expanded facilities include spaces for women with children, while authorities continue providing food and other basic assistance.
Sanchez said the government’s priority is to resolve the cases of migrants remaining in Ceuta, including around 1,200 minors.
For children, he said Moroccan authorities have indicated they will help with family reunification and facilitate their return when the necessary legal conditions, including requests from parents, are met.
The prime minister also defended Spain’s cooperation with Morocco, rejecting suggestions that Madrid lacks confidence in Rabat over the crisis.
“There is no information” from Spain’s security forces, the National Intelligence Center or other intelligence services pointing to involvement by Moroccan authorities in the mass entry, Sanchez said.
He said Moroccan authorities responded to the crisis by deploying police forces in the Castillejos area, near Ceuta, to prevent further crossings.
“If there is no cooperation with Morocco, this crisis will not be resolved; on the contrary, it will worsen,” Sanchez said.
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