Spanish diplomacy has swiftly reacted to the recent statements made by Nizar Baraka, the Secretary General of the Istiqlal Party and Morocco's Minister of Equipment and Water, regarding the territories of Ceuta and Melilla. Baraka asserted that Morocco would not relinquish even an inch of its land, prompting Madrid to express its anger and reaffirm that both Ceuta and Melilla are unequivocally Spanish territories. The Spanish government emphasized that the question of territorial integrity is not open for discussion with Rabat.

According to reports from the Spanish network La Sexta, Baraka's remarks have caused significant discontent within the Spanish government, particularly given the sensitive context of current relations between the two nations. This comes on the heels of the mass migration crisis that occurred in Ceuta on July 30, which sparked considerable debate and tension between the countries.

Sources from the Spanish Foreign Ministry responded to Baraka's comments by reiterating Madrid's unchanged and clear stance on Ceuta and Melilla, stating emphatically that both cities are Spanish and that Spain has never engaged, nor will it ever engage, in discussions with Morocco regarding its territorial integrity. Furthermore, these sources indicated that such recent Moroccan statements could potentially harm bilateral relations, warning that such positions lead to a deterioration in Spain-Morocco relations, especially as both governments are attempting to maintain cooperation on various issues.

La Sexta also noted that other Moroccan officials have made similar statements regarding Ceuta and Melilla recently, including comments from Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi and Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Ahmed Toufiq. These remarks have compelled the Spanish government to take diplomatic steps to protest against such positions.

Baraka addressed the situation in Ceuta, mentioning that Morocco received messages from Spain indicating that its national security had been compromised due to recent events. He acknowledged that Spain remains a key partner for Morocco but insisted that Morocco would not retreat an inch from its territories. In this context, the Spanish government revealed that it had summoned the Moroccan chargé d'affaires on August 21 due to what it deemed unacceptable statements regarding Ceuta and Melilla.

As reported by assahifa.com.