The Popular Party (PP) has taken a firm stance regarding the fate of thousands of migrants who currently remain in Ceuta following irregular entries at the end of July. With no room for ambiguity or exceptions based on vulnerability, Spain's main opposition party has reiterated its demand that all migrants must be returned to their countries of origin, categorically rejecting any proposals to transfer them to the Spanish mainland, regardless of their age or health status.
During a leadership meeting chaired by Alberto Núñez Feijóo at their headquarters in Genoa, the committee underscored the importance of addressing the deficiencies within Morocco's social support system. The PP firmly believes that the responsibility lies with the Moroccan government, not with the Spanish public network, to address the needs of these individuals. Borja Sémper, the national spokesperson, emphasized this point by stating, "We are talking about repatriation, not redistribution," effectively closing the door on any alternative solutions that would involve relocating migrants from Ceuta to the mainland.
The potential reaction from Rabat to this position, especially given that the PP aims to govern Spain and foster good neighborly relations, remains to be seen. Sémper's comments came amid ongoing discussions regarding initiatives from the Ministry of Youth and Childhood aimed at relocating around five hundred vulnerable minors currently housed in Ceuta.
In contrast to the idea of negotiating with autonomous communities—most of which are governed by the PP—the party leadership has dismissed any form of interregional solidarity. To implement this position, the PP has urged the government to deploy extraordinary reinforcements to immigration services in the region, operating around the clock in continuous shifts of "morning, afternoon, and night" to expedite the processing of cases and reduce the number of migrants awaiting repatriation to zero. Sémper described the current situation for residents of Ceuta as "unsustainable."
The PP has extended its reasoning to the health sector, calling on the government to consider isolating or confining individuals diagnosed with infectious diseases, as long as it is deemed medically reasonable. This proposal has been met with skepticism from specialists, particularly concerning cases identified in Ceuta, including tuberculosis, scabies, chickenpox, and gastroenteritis.
In the meantime, the PP is preparing a parliamentary offensive to bring the Ceuta crisis to the Congress as the new legislative session begins. Sémper confirmed that the party will demand explanations from the eight ministers who will appear in the coming days regarding their management of the situation in the autonomous city, with particular emphasis on the Prime Minister. According to the PP, Pedro Sánchez has used his ministers as a "human shield" while he "hid" in Lanzarote, and he must bear "the maximum political responsibility" for the government's response.
As reported by lavanguardia.com.
