Madrid threatens reciprocal action if Italy keeps border controls with Spain

Spain on Friday threatened to take "proportionate measures" against Italy if Rome does not lift temporary border controls imposed following last week's mass migrant crossing into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.

In a statement shared with Spanish media, the Spanish government described Italy's decision to reintroduce border checks with Spain last week as "unjust" and "without precedent in recent history," arguing the move was imposed unilaterally and without prior notice.

Madrid gave Italy until Sunday to lift the controls.

"If it does not do so before the end of Sunday, Aug. 9, Spain will be obliged to adopt proportionate measures to protect the interests and dignity of its citizens," the government said.

Spain argued that the measures have disrupted travel for thousands of passengers during the peak summer holiday season and created legal uncertainty.

The government also rejected Italy's justification that the controls were needed because of the migration crisis in Ceuta, stressing that the enclave has a special status under the Schengen system and that migrants who entered the territory cannot travel freely into Europe's passport-free area.

It also said that "the vast majority" of the roughly 72,000 migrants who entered Ceuta during the mass crossing on July 30 have already returned to Morocco.

Madrid also criticized Italy's migration record, noting that, according to the EU border agency Frontex, Italy has recorded twice as many irregular border crossings than Spain in recent years and arguing that Spain has never imposed border controls on Italy.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez held a coordination meeting Friday with several senior ministers to discuss the situation.

The statement concluded by urging Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government to end the controls and "treat Spaniards like the rest of European citizens."

"We trust that European values, common sense and good faith will prevail," it said, accusing Italy of creating unnecessary divisions for domestic electoral reasons.

According to the latest government data, 80 bodies of migrants who died during the mass crossing have been recovered.

Authorities have also registered 1,342 unaccompanied migrant children in Ceuta's reception system, although Youth and Children Minister Sira Rego said Friday the actual number is likely higher because many minors have yet to be formally identified and registered.