Azernews.Az

Twenty-two of the European Union's 27 member states have sent a joint letter to the presidents of the European Commission and the European Council criticizing Spain's handling of the recent migrant crisis in Ceuta, AzerNEWS reports via Politico.

The letter, signed by leaders including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and the heads of government of Belgium, the Netherlands, the Nordic states, the Baltic countries, and several Central and Eastern European nations, calls for the issue to be discussed at the EU level following the arrival of tens of thousands of migrants from Morocco into the Spanish enclave.

France, one of the EU's largest economies, was the only major member state not to sign the letter.

Meanwhile, Ireland, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, is expected to convene an online meeting of EU foreign ministers on Tuesday to discuss the situation.

Spain has rejected the criticism. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and other Spanish officials accused the governments criticizing Madrid of acting selfishly and failing to show solidarity with Spain.

Sánchez has also sent a letter to EU leaders objecting to calls from some member states to suspend Spain's participation in the Schengen Area in response to the crisis.