The Spanish government has officially asked Italy to fully restore the implementation of the Schengen Agreement between the two countries by Sunday, August 9, warning that otherwise it will take measures to protect the interests of its citizens.
In an official statement, Madrid announced that it expects the restoration of free movement under Schengen rules and added that, if this does not happen, Spain "will be forced to take appropriate measures to protect the interests and dignity of its citizens."
The Spanish government also criticized Rome's decision to suspend the agreement, noting that Italy is one of the European Union countries with the highest number of irregular entries in recent years. According to Madrid, the number of irregular entries in Italy is even about twice as high as that registered in Spain.
Italy's decision to temporarily limit the implementation of Schengen with Spain came after the Ceuta crisis, when Spanish authorities faced a sharp increase in migrant crossings into the Spanish enclave in North Africa.
The government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the temporary suspension of the agreement with Spain until the end of August, arguing the need for increased border controls. However, according to Italian media reports, Rome may decide to lift the measure earlier than the expected deadline, possibly before August 15.
The tensions between the two countries come at a time when migration and the management of the European Union's external borders remain among the most controversial issues in European politics.
