Spain Treads Carefully in Pegasus Spyware Case, Prioritizing Morocco Relations

The Spanish authorities claim not to know, for the moment, the author of the espionage of Pedro Sanchez’s phone. And even if they were to discover it and it was Morocco, they would never reveal this information which would surely provoke a new "major crisis". It is a "hypothesis" like any other and the Executive prefers "not to speculate" on such a serious subject, according to EFE.

Spain has changed its position on the Sahara to end the long and serious diplomatic crisis with the kingdom and would not want to open a new conflict in the new stage of the relationship between the two countries. The normalization of relations with Morocco has allowed the reopening of maritime borders and the preparation of Operation Marhaba 2022. Negotiations are also underway for the imminent reopening of the borders in Ceuta and Melilla.

To read: Spanish PM and Defense Minister’s Phones Hacked with Pegasus Spyware, Morocco Suspected

The joint declaration that sanctioned the meeting between Sanchez and Mohammed VI in Rabat on April 7 announced the resumption of the movement of people and goods at these borders, "in an orderly manner" and the installation of appropriate customs posts. For Spain, this paragraph is proof of Morocco’s commitment to respect the territorial integrity of Spain, by agreeing to reopen the commercial customs in Melilla, closed by Morocco in 2018, and to create a new one in Sebta.

For its part, Morocco does not have the same understanding of this part of the text, say sources consulted who specify that the issue will be discussed during the meeting scheduled for this Thursday in Rabat between the Spanish and Moroccan delegations. Already, the Spanish ministers of the Interior and Foreign Affairs do not agree on the subject. One wanting the reopening of the borders with or without commercial customs, the other considering that the creation of the commercial customs is decisive.