Ceuta crisis puts Europe on alert as Germany, Sweden, and Austria urge Spain to regain control - EUROPE SAYS
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Friday that protecting the European Union’s external borders is «essential» in tackling irregular migration, as the migration crisis in Ceuta continues after around. . .
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Friday that protecting the European Union’s external borders is «essential» in tackling irregular migration, as the migration crisis in Ceuta continues after around 50,000 people arrived in recent days. He also voiced support for Spain’s efforts to return migrants who entered the city irregularly. Commenting on the crisis, Merz said, according to Europa Press, that «protecting the European Union’s external borders is essential to combating irregular migration». He added that he supported «Spain’s intention not to allow irregular migrants to enter the European continent», while calling on Morocco to «immediately carry out the return of its citizens who have arrived in Ceuta». Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also called on Spanish authorities to «regain control of the situation» in Ceuta, while stressing that Sweden was prepared to act if the crisis escalated. Det är viktigt att Spanien agerar skyndsamt för att återfå kontroll över situationen och uppfylla sina åtaganden inom Schengensamarbetet. Om utvecklingen skulle riskera att påverka Sveriges säkerhet eller migrationssituation är regeringen beredd att vidta de åtgärder som krävs…— Ulf Kristersson (@SwedishPM)July 31, 2026In a message posted on social media, Kristersson referred directly to the events in Ceuta, where «tens of thousands of migrants» had crossed the border in recent hours, saying: «It is important that Spain acts quickly to regain control of the situation and fulfills its obligations under Schengen cooperation». The Swedish prime minister warned that his government was «prepared to take the necessary measures to maintain order and control» if the crisis in Ceuta were to threaten Sweden’s security or migration situation. He also urged the Spanish government not to adopt a lenient approach toward irregular migration. Kristersson compared the current surge in arrivals to Europe’s 2015 refugee crisis, which was largely driven by the war in Syria, arguing that the same scenario must not be repeated. «The Spanish Social Democratic government must not make the same mistake that Sweden’s Social Democrats made in 2015, when “no” no longer meant “no”», he said. He added that Sweden was coordinating with neighboring countries and noted that Swedish Migration Minister Johan Forssell «does not rule out taking the necessary measures to ensure that what happened in 2015 is not repeated». Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker likewise urged Spain not to allow «any irregular migrant» to enter Europe, arguing that Spain’s regularization of undocumented migrants had created «an additional incentive for irregular migration». Die aktuellen Entwicklungen in Spanien sind ein deutliches Warnsignal – wir beobachten die Lage sehr genau und ich bin dazu in engem Austausch mit EU-Kommissar Magnus Brunner, Europaministerin Claudia Bauer und Innenminister Gerhard Karner. Zustände wie diese dürfen in der…— Christian Stocker (@_CStocker)July 31, 2026In a post on X, Stocker described the events in Ceuta as «a clear warning signal», adding: «There can be no place for such situations within the European Union. It is now crucial that Spain fulfills its European responsibility and ensures that no irregular migrant reaches the European continent». He also warned that if developments in Spain placed pressure on Austria’s borders, his government would «do everything in its power to protect them», including, if necessary, the temporary closure of Schengen borders. The Austrian chancellor also criticized Spain’s migration policy, arguing that compliance with common European asylum and migration rules requires avoiding «unilateral national measures that may produce counterproductive results», in an apparent reference to Madrid’s approach. He concluded by saying that «the decision of Spain’s Social Democratic government to grant residency to thousands of irregular migrants has proven to be an additional incentive for irregular migration». Tags:nyheterSverigesweden