Felipe VI urges Europe to share responsibility for Spain’s border with Morocco
Felipe VI is calling on Europeans to share responsibility for protecting the European Union’s external borders. At a dinner in Madrid hosted for Emmanuel Macron, Spain’s king described the mass crossings recorded this summer in Sebta as “unacceptable.”
The king spoke on Tuesday, 29 September, at the Royal Palace during the French president’s state visit. He referred to a “mass incursion of tens of thousands of people,” noting that the border crossed is both Spanish and European, EFE reports.
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Felipe VI said countries on the Union’s external borders face particular pressure. They cannot, he explained, shoulder alone a responsibility that belongs to all member states.
His appeal is for more effective cooperation and greater solidarity. The king described the situation in Sebta as a major challenge, both for security and public order and for providing humanitarian assistance to the people who arrived.
A European appeal, without directly accusing Rabat
In his speech, Felipe VI did not identify the Moroccan government as responsible for the events. He stressed the obligations of European partners following the arrivals from Morocco.
The remarks came during Emmanuel Macron’s state visit, held on 29 and 30 September. The two heads of state also met at Zarzuela Palace and took part in a Franco-Spanish economic forum, according to the Spanish Royal Household.
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On migration, Madrid is also preparing an exceptional tightening of asylum rules in Sebta. The proposal is aimed in particular at appeals by applicants whose claims have been rejected, who could have to leave Spain before challenging the rejection of their application.
