Spain announces border controls on arrivals from Italy amid migration dispute

MADRID, Aug. 7: Spain will impose temporary border controls on flights and ships arriving from Italy, starting at midnight Saturday and continuing until September 7, the government announced Friday, as a dispute over irregular migration intensifies.

The measures will require passport, nationality and visa checks for passengers traveling from Italy, including those arriving from other countries via Italy. Madrid said the controls were being introduced in response to what it described as “persistent irregular migratory pressure” from Italy.

Spain said the measures would remain in place while Italy maintains its own border restrictions. Rome has linked its measures to a surge in migration toward Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta, where authorities reported a mass arrival of around 72,000 people on July 30.

The move marks a further escalation in tensions between the two European countries over the management of irregular migration and border controls.