Spain has introduced temporary border checks on visitors arriving from Italy, effective midnight Saturday, in a tit-for-tat response to a deepening diplomatic row between the two EU nations.
The move comes a week after Italy imposed similar restrictions on Spanish visitors, a decision triggered by tens of thousands of migrants crossing from Morocco into Ceuta, Spain’s North African enclave.
Rome responded by temporarily suspending its border-free Schengen agreement with Spain for one month, aiming to prevent migrants from continuing on to Italy.
Checks begin at Barcelona Airport
According to Spain’s state news agency EFE, Italian travellers arriving at Barcelona airport were subject to random police checks once the new controls took effect overnight. Spain says the measures will remain in place for at least a month.
The announcement followed Italy’s rejection on Friday of a warning from Madrid, which had threatened to take action to “protect the dignity” of its citizens if Rome didn’t lift its restrictions by Sunday.
A deepening Political clash
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has been openly critical of Spain’s progressive migration policies.
Hawkish EU leaders, including Meloni, have specifically targeted Madrid’s decision to grant amnesty to undocumented immigrants able to prove five months of residency in the country, a program that drew more than 1 million applications before its window closed at the end of June.
Meloni’s office confirmed Italian border checks on travellers arriving by sea or air from Spain will stay in place until at least August 15.
“Italy does not accept ultimatums or impositions from abroad about national security and border control,” the office said in a statement.