Meloni doubles down on her offensive against Spain over Ceuta and the Italian opposition accuses her of scoring an "own goal"

Giorgia Meloni has taken advantage of the eve of August 15 to once again raise tension over the situation in Ceuta and defend the measures adopted against Spain. The Italian Prime Minister assures that the possible massive entry called through social networks forces to maintain "extreme" vigilance and to continue with the border controls imposed on travelers from Spanish territory.

In an interview in the Italian press published this Friday, Meloni has stated that "the vast majority" of European countries share Italy's position and has once again mixed the irregular arrival of migrants with possible threats to security and terrorism. The ultra leader maintains that protecting external borders is essential to preserve free movement within Europe, despite the fact that her response has ended up restricting precisely one of the main pillars of the Schengen area.

The warning launched for this Saturday stems from messages disseminated on social networks that encourage attempting a new entry into Ceuta. Spanish and Moroccan authorities have reinforced surveillance at the border, although so far there is no confirmation that an arrival of the announced dimensions will occur. Ceuta, moreover, remains outside the Schengen area and any subsequent movement to the peninsula requires documentary controls.

Italy does not know if those rejected came from Ceuta

The Italian Interior Minister, Matteo Piantedosi, has defended the controls, assuring that they have allowed three arrests and the rejection of entry of 21 third-country nationals, six of them Moroccans. However, when the opposition asked him how many had arrived from Ceuta, he admitted that it was impossible to determine.

This data weakens the Italian Government's attempt to present its results as a direct consequence of the Ceuta crisis. Spain responded to Rome's decision by introducing equivalent controls for travelers from Italy, which will initially remain until September 7. The escalation promoted by Meloni has thus led to a diplomatic conflict between two European partners with common interests in the management of Mediterranean borders.

An "own goal" for Meloni

The offensive has also drawn strong criticism within Italy. Democratic Party Senator Graziano Delrio considers the Executive's reaction "excessive" and accuses Meloni of turning migration into a political weapon. MEP Sandro Ruotolo has summarized the consequences of this strategy with a harsh warning: "One country against another. All against all. This is the Europe that nationalists leave us."

Nicola Fratoianni, from the Greens-Left Alliance, speaks of a "boomerang effect," while former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi argues that Meloni "has scored an own goal." The dispute with Spain coincides with Germany's demands to return asylum seekers to Italy who initially entered through Italian territory, a pressure that Rome is trying to curb while demanding a firm hand from its partners when arrivals occur through other European borders.