Madrid: Spain announced on Friday it will introduce temporary border checks on travelers from Italy, following Rome’s decision to impose similar measures after a mass migrant influx into Ceuta. The checks, aimed at addressing “persistent irregular migration pressure” faced by Italy, will commence at midnight on Saturday and continue until September 7, as stated by Spain’s interior ministry.

According to France24.com, Spain had earlier threatened Italy with countermeasures if it did not promptly lift its own border checks, leading to a rebuttal from Rome. The unusual dispute between the European Union and NATO allies erupted after tens of thousands of people crossed from Morocco into Spain’s North African territory on July 30-31, resulting in an unprecedented and deadly rush. This situation has angered EU members advocating for a strict approach to irregular immigration, including Italy, which suspended its visa-free travel Schengen agreement with Spain for a month.

The Spanish government criticized Italy’s action as “unfair, contrary to the EU’s interests, and discriminatory for the Spanish population.” Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares described it as “a torpedo fired at the hull of European unity.” He urged Italy to end the checks and treat Spaniards like other European citizens, threatening “proportional measures” by Sunday if Italy did not comply.

Within hours, Italy’s far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government stated it had “no intention of revising the decision” before August 15, when Spanish authorities expected another wave of migration to Ceuta. Meloni’s office emphasized that Italy would reconsider only when there was certainty of no security or terrorism risks and no new migration wave. In response, Spain’s interior ministry announced its reciprocal measures.

Local media reported that Spanish police have been monitoring online rumors and social media about potential fresh arrivals in Ceuta in mid-August, although authorities have not explicitly confirmed expectations of another rush. Meanwhile, border authorities aim to ensure “maximum ease of movement” for unaffected Spanish and European citizens, according to an Italian statement.

Italy, which does not share a land border with Spain, implemented border controls at maritime and air entry points for third-country nationals arriving from Spain. This move, announced on July 31, was described as an “extraordinary measure” to “safeguard national security and prevent possible repercussions,” Meloni stated at the time. She was among the EU leaders who called for Spain’s suspension from the Schengen travel zone after the Ceuta incident, despite the legal impossibility of such action.

The Spanish government cautioned against “creating rifts and sterile conflicts driven by internal electoral motives” and expressed hope that “pro-European sentiment, common sense, and good faith prevail.” Official Spanish figures indicate that of the 72,000 people who entered Ceuta, 70,000 have returned to Morocco, while Spanish authorities reported 80 deaths in the crossings. However, Moroccan rights groups estimate the death toll to be higher, with at least 141 deaths recorded, as per the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) and the European Coordination for Human Rights in Morocco. Morocco’s interior ministry reported 11 deaths on its side of the border, primarily due to drowning. Those remaining in Ceuta, including hundreds of unaccompanied children, face dire living conditions with limited access to food, water, and shelter.