Migrants: Italy extends the suspension of the Schengen Agreement with Spain for 15 days. And Madrid reacts

Italia has extended thesuspension of the Schengen agreement which specifically concerns the reinstatement of air and sea border controls for travellers arriving from Spain. This has been reported by informed sources. The measure, which has today been extended for a further fifteen days, was introduced on 1 August following the migration crisis in Ceuta. The one-month suspension of the Schengen Agreement was due to expire today; this had led to the reinstatement of border controls at ports and airports for passengers arriving from Morocco since 1 August. The decision was taken after 72,000 people reached the Spanish exclave by sea from Morocco.

At the same time, Madrid has decided “to extend by two weeks border controls on passengers entering the country by sea or air from Italia. This is according to sources at the Spanish Ministry of the Interior speaking to ANSA. The decision, it is explained, follows the formal notification received from Italia regarding the extension for a further 15 days of the suspension of the Schengen Agreement in relation to Spain. The checks, which were introduced on 8 August for an initial period of one month, have thus been extended for a further 15 days, on the basis of reciprocity – it is emphasised – in line with the decision taken by the Italian government.

The decision to extend the suspension of the Schengen Agreement with Spain “was taken, in line with the analysis carried out by the Committee on Immigration and Border Security, given the continued existence of the factors that had led to its reintroduction on 1 August, but at the same time also taking into account the initiatives already launched by Spain, in conjunction with the European Union, to ensure that the situation in that area can begin to return to normal. This was announced by the Ministry of the Interior. The assessments underpinning the extension measure “were communicated by the Minister for the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, to his Spanish counterpart, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, during a constructive telephone conversation”.

“If that is the case, it is obviously necessary. This decision is based on an analysis carried out by the specialists who sit on the Border Security Analysis Committee.” So said the Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, on the Italian Government’s decision to extend the suspension of the Schengen Agreement with Spain for a further two weeks. “We have limited the extension to 15 days ,” the minister explained, “because whilst, on the one hand, the analysis carried out by the specialists indicates that the reasons for which this measure was initially introduced still apply, on the other hand, the efforts being made by the Spanish government, together with the European Union, to resolve the situation that has arisen are certainly commendable.”

“I am confident that this will be the last one, as it would mean that, as we envisage, we are moving towards a normalisation of the situation.” This was how the Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, responded to journalists who asked whether the extension of the suspension of the Schengen Agreement with Spain, decided upon today by the Government, would be the last. “We are confident, and we are also open to any form of cooperation with Spain and the European Union,” he added.