Ceuta migration crisis resolved; no one crossed border: EU Commissioner

BRUSSELS: European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, on Tuesday confirmed that the Ceuta migration crisis is now "resolved", local media reported.

"Spain confirmed today, as previously stated, that practically all those who entered Ceuta have now returned. No one has crossed the border from Ceuta to mainland Spain and continental Europe," stated the European Commissioner at a press conference in Brussels at the end of the informal videoconference of the Council of Interior Ministers, Italian News Agency Adnkronos reported. He also mentioned that there were no "criticisms" regarding the massive regularisations of migrants decided by Spain, also because "we do not currently see a direct link between the regularisations and the events in Ceuta." "Regularisations are not a good signal for the rest of Europe, absolutely not. I understand that it is a national competence and that they were done because they mainly concern Latin Americans, who speak the same language and share the same culture, but the message for the rest of Europe is not positive. Absolutely not," said Brunner.

He also said that the integrity of the Schengen area has been preserved and it is the result of close and constant cooperation between Spain, Morocco, and the Commission in recent days. "I also wish to clearly acknowledge and thank Spain and the administration of Ceuta for restoring order and for the close collaboration with Morocco, to ensure a rapid return to normality." Brunner states that the creation of hubs for repatriations in safe third countries is "legitimate" for countries wishing to pursue it, but it would also be necessary to focus on the possibility of carrying out asylum procedures outside EU territory. (IANS)

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