Imogen Calderwood
SPAIN will receive €10 million from the EU to help fight immigration at its African borders.
Madrid has appealed for months to the EU for financial assistance in the two enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, which have Europe’s only two land borders with Africa.
EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said Madrid would ‘immediately’ be provided with the money, during talks with Spanish Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz.
The money – to come from the EU’s emergency fund – will be used on ‘some of the 26 projects proposed by Spain to face the situation in Ceuta and Melilla’, according to a statement released by the interior ministry.
The enclaves have seen huge surges of sub-Saharan migrants storming the border in recent months, as Mediterranean countries bear the brunt of massive migration attempts.
More than 500 migrants leapt the 6-metre, triple-layer border fence at Melilla last week, putting almost unbearable pressure on the temporary accommodation centre for migrants in the enclave.
The centre – which was build to house 480 immigrants – now houses more than 2,000 people.
Another mugging for the E.U.
10 million is just the beginning, there will be a lot more coming our way in the following years. Maybe we can use some of it to increase security at the crossing point between Gibraltar and Spain.
Numbers trying to enter Italy are rising too. Just a thought – why not try and improve conditions in those African countries, where people are prepared to risk their lives to enter Europe? Otherwise we’re just addressing the symptoms, not the cause.
These folk aren’t “entering Europe”. Ceuta and melilla are in Africa. Relinquish the enclaves, pull down the barbed wire and leave them to it. Thus saving the E.U. unnecessary expenditure and stop Spain pretending they are saving us all from the illegal immigrant peril. Note Ciudadanos’ gloating…..
Do you think that those unfortunate people would be content to stay in Ceuta and Melilla?
No, they probably wouldn’t Anselmo, but at least E.U. money would not go into bent Spanish hands. The cash could be directed into genuine relief instead. It’s not as if those enclaves are some magic door into “real” Europe. Refugees can strike out from any part of the Med. coast for Europe.
Those poor souls are under the mistaken impression, that on the other side of the wire lies freedom from want.