Pedro Sánchez says EU states share “principles of solidarity that bind us together” in migration row

After tens of thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta and then returned, a dispute erupted among EU member states over how to respond. Italy and Denmark led a letter signed by 22 countries blaming Spain’s regularisation of 500,000 undocumented migrants for attracting people. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez rejected that criticism, saying it stemmed from prejudice, misinformation, ignorance, or political self-interest and ran counter to EU and humanitarian law. He appealed to the shared commitment uniting member states. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen supported Sánchez’s handling and called for tighter border measures, while EU interior ministers planned emergency talks.