MEPs are “urgently” calling for Frontex to be deployed in Ceuta and Melilla – Spain’s autonomous cities on the North African coast – to help protect the EU’s southern border.
The demand follows a recent fact-finding mission to the area by a group of centre right Euro deputies.
EPP Group Members of the European Parliament are now urging Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to take “immediate” action and “swiftly” reinforce the area with additional police and border guards.
Speaking at a new briefing, EPP Group Vice-Chair Dolors Montserrat spoke about the situation at the border site.
The MEP said,
“Frontex cannot be deployed unless the Spanish Government, formally requests it from the EU.
“Sánchez is failing to provide Ceuta and Melilla with the necessary resources and is not implementing the EU Migration Pact to combat human trafficking networks. These Spanish cities are European borders, and they must be protected with the same resources and technology as other parts of the Union,”
Said the member.
During the two-day mission, Members of the European Parliament met with representatives of police forces and border guards, despite attempts by the Spanish government to prevent them from doing so before their trip.
It is reported that “at the very last minute”, the Sánchez administration denied the meeting between the MEPs and the National Police and Guardia Civil, so the delegation met with the unions instead.
Comment also came from EPP Group Vice-Chair Tomas Tobé who thanked Policía Nacional and Guardia Civil authorities for their “dedication and the vital work they do every day to protect our common borders.”
The MEP added,
“Migration is not only a question for Melilla or Spain — it is a question for Europe. We need to work together if we want to take back control of migration. We must act now. I hope this mission will be the first step towards securing more European support on the ground.”
The fact-finding mission to Melilla was also attended by Lena Düpont MEP, the EPP Group’s Spokeswoman on Civil Liberties, Tomáš Zdechovský MEP; and Spanish members of the EPP Group, Juan Ignacio Zoido MEP and Javier Zarzalejos MEP, Chair of the Committee on Civil Liberties.
