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The same week that Ceuta’s president, Juan Jesús Vivas, travelled to Brussels in a cry for help, we are joined by Czech centre-right MEP Tomáš Svetechovský and German Socialist MEP Birgit Sippel for their points of view. One month on from the arrival of thousands of irregular migrants in the Spanish city, we hear how EU countries could have shown more solidarity and what more can be done to help Ceuta.
Tomáš Svetechovský criticised the Spanish government’s handling of the situation, arguing that it should have acted sooner and requested more European support.
“I think that the Spanish government did not react to the situation very well,” he said, calling for additional police and security support.
German Socialist MEP Birgit Sippel defended Spain’s response and said the priority should be European solidarity.
“Whenever things like that are happening to whatever country, the first thing that we have to do is show solidarity,” she said.
The two MEPs also disagreed over the treatment of unaccompanied minors remaining in Ceuta. Sippel stressed the need to relocate children to other EU member states under the EU migration pact, while Svetechovský rejected mandatory relocation quotas and said the Czech Republic would not be welcoming anyone from Ceuta.
“We are absolutely strict against these quotas,” he insisted.
The role of Morocco remains another point of debate. Some have accused Rabat of allowing the crossings to happen and during his trip to the EU capital, Juan Jesus Vivas said he believes the Ceuta incident should prompt Brussels to reconsider its collaboration with Rabat.
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The Ring is hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, produced by Luis Albertos Altarejos and Amaia Echevarria, and edited by Vassilis Glynos.