Spanish Military Fears Potential Handover of Disputed Islands to Morocco

This fear seems justified, analyzes El Progreso, recalling the transfer last July of the bodies of Spanish military and civilian personnel buried in the rocks of Velez de la Gomera and Al Hoceima to a cemetery in Melilla.

To read: Morocco Steadfast on Sahara and Ceuta-Melilla Claims, Expert Says

The same media also recalls that two years ago, Morocco had declared that it held "sovereign and exclusive rights" over the natural resources of the waters near the Canary Islands. With Pedro Sanchez’s decision to support the Moroccan autonomy plan for the Sahara, Morocco is strengthening its rights over these enclaves.

To read: Spain Demands Ceuta and Melilla Protection in Morocco Talks on Western Sahara

Last November, Morocco also authorized a Spanish company to install a fish farm in the waters of the Chaffarines islands, in violation of environmental and maritime safety regulations, as the Chaffarines islands and the surrounding waters have been declared a special protection area for birds (ZEPA).