Spain threatens Italy with reciprocal border curbs over Ceuta fallout
What's next: Madrid gave Rome until Aug. 9 to lift checks, while Italy signaled it could keep them through Aug. 15.
Spain threatened reciprocal measures against Italy unless Rome lifts border controls imposed after the mass migrant crossings into Ceuta. Madrid called the checks unjustified, discriminatory and contrary to European Union interests, and set an Aug. 9 deadline for their removal. Italy reintroduced controls last week, saying it wanted to stop migrants who entered the Spanish enclave from moving on. Spain argues that rationale is false because people who entered Ceuta irregularly do not have access to the Schengen area, and says most have already returned to Morocco. The dispute deepens tensions between Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after roughly 78,000 migrants reached Ceuta and around 80 to 100 people died.